Close on the heels of the arrest of former AAP minister Jitender Singh Tomar for >allegedly furnishing fake degrees , Congress on Thursday accused a Maharashtra BJP minister of lying about his education.
Water Supply Minister Babanrao Lonikar had claimed in the election affidavits in 2004 and 2009 that he had done the first year of Bachelor of Arts course. However, his 2014 affidavit says he has studied only up to class V, the party said.
Producing the copies of Mr. Lonikar’s affidavits in Mumbai, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said: “(Mr.) Lonikar in his affidavits of 2004 and 2009 mentioned his qualification as FYBA from Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) in 1991. However, in 2014 election affidavit, he mentioned he has completed his education till Standard 5 from Zilla Parishad School at Loni (Khurd) in Partur Tehsil of Parbhani district in 1973,” he said.
Mr. Sawant also displayed another document in which Mr. Lonikar’s education qualification is stated as ‘BA’.
Demanding immediate resignation of Mr. Lonikar, Mr. Sawant said, “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should take legal action against him. BJP should take the same stand in Maharashtra as in Delhi.” Mr. Sawant said.
Also read:>Now, row over BJP Minister’s qualifications
AAP dares BJP
Asked about Congress’ allegations against the Maharashtra minister, Preeti Sharma Menon, national spokesperson of AAP, said: “I dare the state government to follow the same procedure as our minister (Jitendra Tomar) was put through in Delhi.
“Will this government arrest him (Lonikar) and make him tour the colleges and universities from where he has received his degrees,?” she asked.
Another AAP leader and state executive member, Ravi Shrivastava took potshots at the BJP government and asked, “When our minister in Delhi Jitendra Singh Tomar can be arrested despite the fact that court is already hearing the case, then why Babanrao cannot be meted out with the same treatment?”
“There can not be two parameters while dealing with same nature of cases. This exposes the real face of the BJP,” he charged.
Lonikar’s clarification
Lonikar, however, said he had not provided false information. He said his “final” qualification was Class V, which he had mentioned in last year’s election affidavit.
“I tried to complete my education and according to the facility available with YCMOU, I got admission in first year of BA in 1991,” Mr. Lonikar said. “Unfortunately, due to busy political schedule, I could not pass the examination and hence mentioned fifth standard as my final qualification. If possible in future, I will complete my education,” he told reporters.
A day after Congress accused Maharashtra Water Supplies minister Babanrao Lonikar of holding a fake degree, the Aam Aadmi Party today dared the ruling BJP government in the state to arrest him and make him tour the institutes from where he allegedly got his educational qualification.
