New Delhi [India], June 22 : Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav hit back at Prashant Kishor's comments on his educational qualifications, emphasising that leadership and capability cannot be judged solely by degrees. Kishor had earlier criticised Tejashwi for not passing Class 10.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Tejashwi said, "No... it doesn't hurt me. You cannot get all the qualities just by having a degree. You have seen many things in practical life, but your experience of those is also limited. And I was a sportsperson, I am a cricketer, so he will not talk about it."
Yadav argued that having a degree doesn't automatically make someone a great leader, pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational qualifications have been debated. Yadav emphasised that he respects whoever is given the highest post, regardless of their educational background.
"But if it was a matter of degree, then, for eleven years, to date, the people of the country do not know what his degree is. But it is coming on us. So we will respect whoever is given the highest post," Yadav said in an interview with ANI.
He highlighted his own experiences as a sportsman and cricketer, suggesting that these skills are valuable in their own right.
On June 5, Suraaj party founder Prashant Kishor hit out at former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav saying that while Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief has aspirations for his son, Tejaswhi Yadav to be "King of Bihar", who did not pass class 9, the children of common people are not getting jobs despite completing graduation.
Taking a swipe at the RJD chief, he said that he is only praising Lalu Yadav, and people should learn how to take care of their children from him.
"We need to learn from Lalu Prasad Yadav how to worry about children. Lalu ji's son did not pass the 9th class, but Lalu Yadav is so worried about his child that he still wants him to become the king of Bihar. When we say this, people say that we complain about him. No! We are praising Lalu Yadav," Kishor said while addressing a public gathering in Bihar's Saran on Wednesday.