AAP reaches Delhi University to verify PM's 'fake' degrees

Update: 3:45 p.m. IST — Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party reached Delhi University on Tuesday to verify Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degrees. The AAP called the certificates released by the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday as "fake."

The university on Tuesday was quoted as saying by India Today that Modi had completed his Bachelors in 1978 and the degree was given to him in 1979 after questions around differing dates in the marksheet and degree were raised.  

Original Story — In response to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's demands to see the Prime Minister's educational degrees, the Bharatiya Janata Party's president Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released Narendra Modi's degrees on Monday. The BJP also sought an apology from Kejriwal on Monday.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief had earlier asked the Central Information Commission (CIC) to release Modi's degrees to the public. Questions were also raised regarding Modi's age as different years of birth had been mentioned in his degrees and election affidavit.

"Kejriwal has repeatedly written letters to the CIC, the Prime Minister's Office etc, to propagate a lie - that PM Modi's degrees are fake," BJP chief Amit Shah said during a press conference in the capital. "I am hereby presenting the prime minister's BA and MA degrees to the public," Shah said.

"Prime minister studied Bachelor of Arts from Delhi University and MA from Gujarat University in political science," the BJP chief said. "Kejriwal has brought disrepute to the country...when you had no evidence that the degrees were fake why did you raise such a huge question?" he added.

On Friday, Kejriwal had alleged that Modi had not studied in Delhi University. According to the Times of India, the AAP chiefhad said that since he had not done his graduation from Delhi University, it is doubtful whether, as claimed, he had pursued his Masters from the Gujarat University. 

"On what basis did you mislead the media...he should apologise to the country. Congress also tried to jump on to the bandwagon," he said. "I will send the degrees to Kejriwal for his assurance," he added.

"Prime minister used to live at the Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad office when he used to travel to Delhi from Gujarat in the 1970s for his exams," Jaitley added.

"It is difficult to join the public life being from an economically weak family. There can be no bigger example of the struggles of a common man," Jaitley said. 

Aam Aadmi Party's reponse to the BJP press conference

"BJP leaders Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley have presented fake, forged degrees on PM's Modi's education. They should apologise," Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashutosh was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. 

"The name on mark-sheet is Narendra Kumar Damodar Das Modi, where as on degree it is Narendra Damodar Das Modi. It means, degree is fake," AAP tweeted on Monday.