'Let's both show our degrees': Abhijeet Dipke challenges PM Modi as Boston University education row reignites

Abhijeet Dipke challenges PM Modi over degrees as Boston University row returns

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has reignited a political controversy over educational qualifications by challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly show their degrees.

Dipke made the challenge on X on Thursday after fresh questions emerged on social media regarding his claim that he studied at Boston University in the United States. He said he was willing to present his degree if the Prime Minister also agreed to disclose his educational qualifications.

'Let's both show our degrees'

In his post, Dipke questioned why people were waiting to see his degree while suggesting that Modi's educational qualifications had also remained a subject of political debate.

He then directly challenged the Prime Minister, saying the two could "both show our degrees" and bring the issue to an end.

The post quickly drew attention because it came amid renewed scrutiny of Dipke's educational background.

How did the Boston University controversy begin?

The latest row follows a purported clip from a recent podcast hosted by Prakhar Gupta, in which activist Sonam Wangchuk was a guest.

According to reports, Gupta spoke about a close friend who had studied at Boston University and had participated in protests associated with Dipke's CJP. Gupta then referred to Boston University as Dipke's college and claimed that his friend later examined Dipke's educational credentials.

Gupta further alleged that his friend found no record of Dipke graduating from the university.

These claims have not been independently established, and they remain allegations made during the podcast.

Dipke pushes back

Dipke has previously maintained that he studied at Boston University and that his education there was funded through a scholarship.

After the latest controversy surfaced, he shared a video compilation that appeared to show him at a Boston University-related event, using it to push back against questions surrounding his educational background.

Rather than simply addressing the allegations, Dipke also turned the discussion towards the Prime Minister's educational qualifications.

Why Modi's degrees are part of the political debate

Questions about PM Modi's educational qualifications have been raised by opposition leaders on several occasions.

The BJP has maintained that the Prime Minister's educational credentials are a settled matter and has previously made his degree available publicly. The issue has also been the subject of legal proceedings and political disputes over access to educational records.

Dipke's latest remarks therefore add a fresh political dimension to an already familiar debate over transparency surrounding politicians' academic credentials.

Dipke turns scrutiny into a political challenge

The CJP founder has previously used the controversy surrounding his own education to question the standards applied to political figures.

His latest challenge effectively shifts the focus from whether he attended Boston University to whether both he and Modi should make their educational documents public.

For now, however, the competing claims remain part of an ongoing political and social-media controversy, with no independent confirmation of the allegation that Dipke has no record of graduating from Boston University.