Gujarat High Court fines Arvind Kejriwal for seeking details of PM Modi’s degree

New Delhi (India), March 31, 2023: The Gujarat High Court has set aside an order directing the Gujarat University to reveal details of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree, stating that the information is not required.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been fined Rs. 25,000 for asking for these details. In 2016, the Central Information Commission directed the Prime Minister’s Office, Gujarat University, and Delhi University to furnish information on Modi’s graduation and post-graduation degrees in response to a right-to-information request.

The Gujarat University challenged the order before the High Court. Modi’s election documents say he graduated from Gujarat University in 1978 and completed his Master’s degree from Delhi University in 1983. Last month, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued during hearings that the university should not be compelled to disclose this information, stating that there is no public interest involved in this issue and that even Modi’s privacy is affected.

However, Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been running an aggressive campaign highlighting Modi’s educational qualifications, putting up posters in various cities targeting the Prime Minister.

Reacting to the court order and the fine, Kejriwal questioned why the country does not have the right to know the educational qualifications of its Prime Minister, saying that an uneducated or less educated PM is dangerous for the country.

The decision comes at a time when tensions are running high between political parties in India ahead of several state elections, including in West Bengal, where recent communal clashes during a Ram Navami procession have resulted in several arrests and ongoing tensions.