New Delhi (Agency): The Gujarat High Court has directed a sessions court to quickly decide on the appeals of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh. These appeals challenge a lower court’s summons regarding their comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational degree.
Justice Samir Dave of the Gujarat High Court ordered that the appeals be moved to another judge who must decide within 10 days. The previous judge who was to hear the case is currently on leave.
Lawyer Sudhir Nanavati, who represents the complainant Gujarat University, said they won’t object if the AAP leaders ask for more time before the lower court until their appeals are reviewed.
Earlier, Kejriwal and Singh had tried to get an interim stay on the case, but their pleas were rejected. They also moved to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear their request. Kejriwal’s comments like, “If there is a degree and it is genuine, then why is it not being given?”, are part of the statements under scrutiny.
This case started when Gujarat University took legal action against Kejriwal and Singh for their “sarcastic” and “defamatory” remarks. These comments, according to the university, tarnish its reputation. The university claims that the AAP leaders’ statements suggest that it issues fake degrees.
The remarks by Kejriwal and Singh came into the spotlight after the Gujarat High Court set aside an order of the Chief Information Commissioner regarding PM Modi’s degree. They openly questioned the authenticity of the degree and targeted the university for allegedly trying to validate a “fake degree”.
Sanjay Singh also joined the critique, implying that Gujarat University was involved in “trying to prove the PM’s fake degree as genuine”. These comments, according to the complainant, make people think that the university issues fake degrees, hurting its prestige.