Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had “dropped” her doctorate degree — reportedly earned from an alleged non-existent University in the United States in the 1980s following large-scale criticism from the Opposition parties — finally earned a genuine one on Thursday when the Calcutta University conferred on her an honorary D.Litt degree.
While the Thursday’s degree came not without politico-judicial ruckus with challengers moving the High Court and critics seeing “boot-licking” of some “so-called educationists”, in the whole drama a moved Chief Minister exhibited great degree of humility when she said “I know I am not worth it but still I am happy that I have been given it.”
She said she would not use the degree, with tears welling up in her eyes, even as she reminisced how she had to face terse remarks for her inability to carry forward her studies despite tremendous desire.
“I am a beggar of love and am overwhelmed at this gesture,” she said even as stalwarts in Calcutta University said the degree was a tribute to her social work and struggle. Banerjee also said that she has always been publicly derided and was in two minds about to the occasion “but then the Education Minister Partho Chatterjee persuaded me to come here and I am overwhelmed by the honour.
“I am deeply touched by the recognition the University gave to my creativity, art, literary activities, social service and public work. Glory and heritage of Calcutta University transcends boundaries,” she said.
Meanwhile a Public Interest Litigation was still pending in Calcutta High Court where the Petitioner Ranjugopal Mukherjee, a former Professor of the university, claimed that the decision to confer the award on the Chief Minister was arbitrary and opaque.