September 15 is the day India pays tribute to engineers thanks to Sir Vishveshwarya's birth anniversary. It's also the day when a social media rumour about PM Modi's 'engineering degree' goes viral.
A story allegedly from a Kannada magazine called Tarang profiles Narendra Modi who was a BJP General Secretary at that time. Several social media users shared the story claiming that Modi had told magazine that he was an unmarried engineering degree holder.
However, it would appear that the magazine had carried Narendra Modi’s profile which states that he had ‘engineered a win’ which appears to have got lost in translation.
Read the exact translation below:
Still under 40, Mr Narendra Modi, working as head worker in Gujarat BJP, considered to be key force behind the huge win of the party. Though he was first introduced in 1974 as leader of Gujarath’s Navarinman movement, his main work has been as an RSS member.
Being part of Saurashtra Division Committee, he was known as engineering degree holder, and precise planner in the party. Also, he is currently member of party’s Rashtriya Karyakarini (National Executive).
He is unmarried and has surrendered himself to the society. He also has a role in planning and executing Ekta Yatra of the party.
Claim 1: Narendra Modi said he had an engineering degree.
Fact: He did nothing of that sort. The magazine claims he has an engineering degree.
Claim 2: Magazine said Modi had an engineering degree.
Fact: The magazine does make this claim and it would appear it was lost in translation.
Claim 3: Magazine said Narendra Modi is unmarried.
Fact: PM Modi had left column of spouse empty for the four assembly elections he contested: 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2012.
PM Modi mentioned in his own 2014 affidavit he was married to Jashodabhen Modi. It was a child marriage which occurred when Narendra Modi was 13.
In the past, both Congress and AAP had raised questions about PM Modi’s degree. Randeep Surjewala had said that Modi’s master’s degree, obtained from the Gujarat University, says “entire political science”. “what is it? What does that mean? He should clarify,” Surjewala said and urged the prime minister to clarify the issue on his own.
A controversy over Modi’s educational qualifications erupted after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raised the issue.
The BJP had made public the BA and MA degrees of Modi and sought an apology from Kejriwal for accusing Modi of lying about his educational qualifications.
Shah and Jaitley held a press conference here and released the marksheets and BA degree of Modi. They also made public the prime minister’s MA degree but did not give any marksheet for the course.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh on also claimed said the BA and MA degrees of Modi presented by the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were fake and forged.
