Smriti Irani says statement on Yale University certificate misconstrued after row over 'degree'

New Delhi: After another controversy over her educational qualification, Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani has now said that her statement on her certificate from the Yale University has been misconstrued. "Unfortunate that statement regarding my participation in a leadership program and certificate thereafter was misconstrued," Irani tweeted soon after meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The HRD Ministry too clarified Irani's statement about her 'degree' from Yale University. The HRD Ministry said that Irani's participation at a six-day long leadership course at Yale resulted in her getting a certificate for the said programme.

"As an MP Mrs Irani was invited to participate in a leadership program at Yale along with MPs from various political parties of India. Her participation and presence did result in her getting a 'certificate' for the said programme," the HRD Ministry said.

The statement came after the controversy over Smriti Irani's educational qualifications took a new turn with her assertion that she also has a degree from the prestigious Yale University in the United States. Irani made the remark when pressed by a questioner at the India Today Woman Summit 2014 in New Delhi to clear the "mystery" over her educational degrees.

Soon after the Lok Sabha results were announced on May 16, Irani was at the centre of a raging controversy over her educational qualifications after it emerged that she had made contradictory declarations while contesting the parliamentary elections in 2004 and 2014.

"In that kitty of mine where people call me anpad (illiterate) I do have a degree from Yale University as well which I can bring out and show how Yale celebrated my leadership capacities. "Extraneous circumstances are being created so that I deviate my concentration from what my goals are," she said at the event on Saturday. The BJP leader said she should be judged by what she delivers as a minister.

11 Indian MPs went to Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut on June 19 last year to complete a six-day leadership program with Yale faculty. The 2013 participants were drawn from five different national and regional political parties in India, and included Irani, who was BJP vice president at that time, and her TDP counterpart C Ramesh.