Smriti Irani lashes out against critics on Twitter
Smriti Irani took to Twitter to silence her critics, pointing out that the HRD Ministry, under her tenure, had taken initiatives towards "increasing learning outcomes for students and improving quality of education". She added that the new HRD minister, Prakash Javadekar, could be expected to continue the work she had begun. She also thanked PM Modi for his "faith" in her, and for her appointment as Textiles Minister.
Born to a Bengali mother and a Punjabi father in 1976, Smriti Malhotra completed her schooling from Holy Child Auxilium School in New Delhi and allegedly went on to pursue her higher education from the University of Delhi. She was part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from her "childhood days" owing to her grandfather and mother. In 2001, she married Zubin Irani.
Smriti Irani was one of the finalists of the Miss India beauty pageant in 1998. She made her TV debut in 2000, and in mid-2000 won the lead role of Tulsi Virani in Ekta Kapoor's popular production "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi". She left the show in 2007, and has worked in several other shows and starred in a Bengali film titled "Amrita".
Smriti Irani joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2003. In early 2010, Irani was appointed as the National Secretary of the BJP and the All India President of the BJP's women's wing. She contested the 2014 general elections against Rahul Gandhi and lost. However, she was appointed as the Minister of Human Resource Development by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the same year.
Irani's claim that she had a Yale University degree worsened the existing controversy around her Bachelor's degree. She came under fire for altering facts during her Parliament speech about Hyderabad University research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide. She was further criticised by JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar for attacking academic institutions, and by the Congress for reading out an "offensive" pamphlet on Goddess Durga in Parliament.
Smriti Irani holds the record for winning four consecutive Indian Telly Awards for Best Actress (Popular) in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. She also holds the record for winning five consecutive Indian Television Academy Awards for Best Actress (Popular) in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
PM Modi's cabinet reshuffle saw Smriti Irani dropped as Human Resource Development minister. The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Prakash Javadekar, was appointed as Irani's replacement while Irani herself was made the Minister of Textiles. The cabinet reshuffle also saw the appointment of 19 new Ministers of State with a focus on meeting budgetary goals ahead of next year's UP Assembly elections.
Twitter users ruthlessly trolled Smriti Irani after the cabinet reshuffle. @MohitParmarr tweeted, "Title of Smriti Irani's biography could be 'From KYA PADHA to KAPDA'." @BhavneetUncut trolled the former "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" actress saying that a new TV series called "Kyunki Textile Bhi Kahbi HRD Thi" would be released in her honour. Meanwhile, The Telegraph dubbed the ex-HRD minister "Spinderella".
In December 2004, Smriti Irani threatened to fast unto death demanding the resignation of Narendra Modi who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat then. She blamed Modi for BJP's electoral losses in the April-May general elections of 2004.
Smriti Irani's claim that she held a degree from the prestigious Yale University was not entirely fiction. Yale University later clarified that the former actress had only attended a week-long programme on India-Yale Parliamentary Leadership Program in 2013.
