PM Modi's degree row: SC stays defamation proceedings against AAP leaders before Gujarat court
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the proceedings before a trial court on a defamation complaint filed by the Gujarat University against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MP Sanjay Singh for their alleged remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational qualification.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while hearing Singh's plea seeking a transfer of the case pending before a trial court in Gujarat outside the state, preferably in Kolkata. The apex court asked the Gujarat High Court to take a decision within four weeks on a plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders seeking quashing of the summonses issued to them by the trial court.
The bench said in the meantime, the proceedings before the trial court will remain stayed.
Singh, in his plea filed in the top court through advocate Karan Sharma, had alleged bias in the proceedings before the trial court, saying while the plea was pending before the high court, the trial judge was proceeding with the matter.
In August last year, the apex court refused to entertain Kejriwal's plea challenging the high court order that rejected his request to stay the criminal defamation proceedings filed by the university.
Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel had filed the defamation case against Kejriwal and Singh over their alleged comments after the Gujarat High Court set aside an order of the chief information commissioner for providing information about Modi's educational degrees to them under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The high court, on August 11 last year, rejected the plea moved by Kejriwal and Singh seeking an interim stay on the criminal defamation proceedings against them.
A Gujarat metropolitan court had earlier summoned Kejriwal and Singh in the defamation case over their alleged "sarcastic" and "derogatory" statements in connection with Modi's educational degrees.
The two AAP leaders subsequently filed a revision application in the sessions court, challenging the metropolitan court's summonses. However, the sessions court rejected their plea for an interim stay on the trial, after which they approached the high court.
According to the complaint filed by Patel, the two leaders allegedly made "defamatory" statements at press conferences and on microblogging platform X, targeting the university over Modi's degrees.
Their comments targeting the Gujarat University were defamatory and hurt the prestige of the institution, which has established its name among the public, the complainant alleged.
"Their statements were sarcastic and intentionally made to hurt the prestige of the university," Patel said in his complaint.
On March 31 last year, the high court quashed a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC), which directed the Gujarat University to provide information on Modi's educational degrees to Kejriwal, observing that the AAP chief's RTI plea appeared to be "politically vexatious and motivated", instead of being based on "sound public interest considerations".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rajasthan CM Sharma invites Karnataka to partner in agritech transformation
Bengaluru (PTI): Asserting that Rajasthan is evolving and embracing progressive change, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Sunday invited Karnataka and industry stakeholders present in Bengaluru to partner with the state in shaping a “new agricultural revolution.”
The CM was speaking at an investor meet organised in Bengaluru under the ‘Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM)–2026’, aimed at positioning Rajasthan as a leading hub for agricultural innovation, agritech investment, and global partnerships.
“Rajasthan is moving toward building a strong agritech-driven economy by integrating its traditional agricultural strengths with modern technology. The state government is creating an investor-friendly environment,” Sharma said.
“Out of the Rs 35 lakh crore MoUs signed during the 2024 Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, Rs 9 lakh crore worth of investments have already been grounded, and we welcome all stakeholders to be part of this transformative journey,” he added.
Emphasising the synergy between the two states, he said, “Rajasthan is growing, evolving and embracing progressive change, and together with Karnataka, we can further strengthen our farmers by equipping them with the latest technologies and building a future of shared prosperity.”
Highlighting the shared vision between the two states, he added, “Bengaluru and Rajasthan share a long-standing, cordial relationship built on innovation and progress.”
“As Rajasthan advances steadily toward becoming a Viksit Rajasthan, we invite Bengaluru and Karnataka to partner with us in shaping a new agricultural revolution,” he said.
The event was hosted by the Agriculture Department, Government of Rajasthan, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Rajasthan Foundation.
The investor meet witnessed participation from key stakeholders across agriculture, agritech, industry, and investment sectors.
The CM said that through GRAM 2026, the government is committed to ushering in a new era of agricultural transformation by modernising farming practices, enhancing farmers’ incomes, and connecting them with cutting-edge technologies such as AI and agritech innovations, while expanding access to food processing and global markets.
“This landmark initiative will bring together thousands of farmers, experts and investors on a single, dynamic platform,” he said.
He further noted that the government is integrating key departments—including agriculture, electricity, cooperatives, animal husbandry and fisheries—to create a unified ecosystem for holistic farmer development.
“Our goal is to harness technology to drive sustainable growth and empower our farmers with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive,” he added.
Highlighting progress in the agriculture sector, Rajasthan Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said the state government is strengthening the agritech ecosystem through policy support, infrastructure development and innovation, creating a conducive environment for investors and entrepreneurs.
During the event, a film on GRAM 2026 was showcased, highlighting opportunities in Rajasthan’s agriculture and agritech sectors, an official release said.
Extensive deliberations on agriculture, agritech, investment and partnership opportunities were held during the meet, with participants exploring collaborative pathways to strengthen the sector.
The main event, GRAM 2026, is scheduled to be held from May 23 to 25, 2026, in Jaipur, with expected participation from investors, industry leaders and policymakers from across India and abroad.
As part of the preparatory outreach, roadshows have already been conducted in Jaipur and New Delhi, with more planned across major cities to further expand the reach of the initiative, the release added.
