New Delhi, Apr 7 (IANS): Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently lodged at the Tihar Jail over his alleged involvement in an excise policy scam, has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational qualifications in an open letter.
In his hand-written letter in Hindi, the AAP leader raised doubts about Modi's educational qualifications and emphasised the importance of having a highly-educated individual in the country's top elected post.
"Whenever I hear the Prime Minister's claims that we can prepare tea or cook food using dirty gas from a drain by inserting a pipe, it saddens me deeply. It is impossible to cook food using dirty gas from a drain. His statement that radar cannot detect an airplane flying behind clouds has made him a laughing stock in the global community. Even students in schools and colleges mock him for his remarks," Sisodia says in the letter.
The former Deputy Chief Minister asserted that the Prime Minister's "lack of education and basic understanding of science is common knowledge worldwide".
He further pointed that other heads take advantage of this by demanding a high cost for every hug they give the Prime Minister.
He also expressed uncertainty about the documents that the Prime Minister signs, as he believes that latter's lack of education renders him incapable of understanding them.
The AAP leader claimed that the closure of 60,000 schools in recent years is a clear indication that the government does not prioritise education.
He emphasized the crucial role of education in a country's progress, stating that without providing a quality education to children, a country cannot progress.
In the letter, Sisodia also referenced to a video where the Prime Minister had proudly claimed that he is not highly educated, and that he only studied in a village school.
"Is being illiterate or less educated something to be proud of?" the AAP leader questions.
Sisodia further asserted that a country where the leader takes pride in being less educated will never be able to provide a good education to the nation's children.
A photo of the letter was shared by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Twitter.
In a series of tweets, he said: "Manish Sisodia's letter to the nation, written while in jail, highlights the danger posed to the country by having a Prime Minister with lesser education.
"Modi Ji's lack of understanding of science and the importance of education. 60,000 schools have been closed over the last few years. It is necessary to have an educated PM for the progress of India."