Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

by Seva Lamberdar Wed May 28, 2014 8:41 am

New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti today came to the defence of Smriti Irani, her young colleague in the newly-appointed Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by turning the guns on the Congress in the row over Ms Irani's educational qualification.

Reacting to a tweet by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken, ridiculing Mr Modi's cabinet and Ms Irani, the Human Resources Development Minister, Ms Bharti shot back, "I want to ask Madam Sonia Gandhi, what is her qualification?"

The fiery BJP leader, who is in charge of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, added, "Because she was heading the UPA government, she was giving directions to the government. I want to see her certificate, see how qualified she is. Then the Congress people have the right to ask about the qualifications of Smriti Irani."

Mr Maken had tweeted yesterday "What a Cabinet of Modi? HRD Minister (Looking after Education) Smriti Irani is not even a graduate! Look at her affidavit at ECI site pg 11 (sic)!"

Mr Maken's comment had triggered outrage across Twitter, with many calling his stance 'sexist' and 'elitist'.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference is an ally of the Congress, had criticised Mr Maken's comment, tweeting, "To say that someone needs to be educated to be HRD Min is like saying one needs to be a pilot for Civil Aviation or a miner for Coal Min (sic),".

An apparently abashed Congress also addressed the row today; with senior party leader Manish Tewari saying, "When we criticise the government, it should be on substance not superficiality".

Incidentally, Ms Bharti, who had won the Lok Sabha elections from Jhansi, had openly stated that she also wanted to contest against Mrs Gandhi in Raebareli, but was dissuaded by the party from doing so.

http://www.ndtv.com/elections/article/election-2014/uma-bharti-defends-smriti-irani-asks-what-is-sonia-gandhi-s-qualification-532032?pfrom=home-lateststories

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Wed May 28, 2014 9:41 am

......why can't they simply say they are all 10th grade fail...problem solved....

After all Kamaraj was just 5th class pass. Considered the breakthrough leader when it came to education in India.

by truthbetold Wed May 28, 2014 10:19 am

Merlot got this one right.
modi got hots for smriti Irani .
what a f'ed up pick?

by smArtha Wed May 28, 2014 10:53 am

truthbetold wrote:Merlot got this one right.
modi got hots for smriti Irani .
what a f'ed up pick?

Not sure if anyone else noticed this, but Modi rewarded most of the aggressive TV spokespersons of the party starting from Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Uma Bharati, Prakash Javdekar, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani. IMO, Shah Nawaz Hussain and Rajeev Pratap Rudy may get a chance in the expansion - immediate or mid-term ones. Meenakshi Lekhi was probably left out as a candidate for Delhi CM (if Kiran Bedi doesn't work out). Naveen Kohli, Shaina NC, Sudhanshu Trivedi are good too (on the TV debates) but relatively juniors in the party. That leaves out Pinky Anand and another Lawyer dude (I cannot recollect his name) and both these come across as apologists for the BJP than supporters of its ideologies, policies or actions. IMO, they may not get any chance in the Cabinet.

by confuzzled dude Wed May 28, 2014 11:06 am

truthbetold wrote:Merlot got this one right.
modi got hots for smriti Irani .
what a f'ed up pick?

Please .. would you guys stop being sexist, obejctifying women. Modi saw her as Goddess Saraswati, just like our Rishi did. Besides, she is rewarded for fighting hard in the battlfield, entering Padmavyuaham like young Abhmimanyu. She almost came out on top, would've won if not for rigging of EVMs by those senile & wily Kauravas.

by Guest Wed May 28, 2014 11:32 am

Nah! She's being rewarded for locking horns with pappu and sending jitters down his spine.

by truthbetold Wed May 28, 2014 11:34 am

Cd
that is not even remotely funny.
get over it. your guys lost elections. you have been a sore loser for the past week. time is up. get back to normalcy.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Wed May 28, 2014 11:43 am

truthbetold wrote:Merlot got this one right.
modi got hots for smriti Irani .
what a f'ed up pick?

I suspected that as well... Wink

by confuzzled dude Wed May 28, 2014 12:00 pm

truthbetold wrote:Cd
that is not even remotely funny.
get over it. your guys lost elections. you have been a sore loser for the past week. time is up. get back to normalcy.

What did I do? I wasn't even picking on Modi over her selection. My only point was selecting 'losers' to cabinet; that's mockery of democratic process. If anything, it's you guys that need to calm down a bit & put a stop to perpetual breastbeating/gloating for your own good.

by Hellsangel Wed May 28, 2014 1:29 pm

confuzzled dude wrote:you guys that need to calm down a bit & put a stop to perpetual breastbeating/gloating for your own good.

Or else...?

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Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

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Re: Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

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Re: Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

Re: Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

Re: Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?

Re: Uma Bharti Defends Smriti Irani, Asks, 'What is Sonia Gandhi's Qualification'?