Amid questions raised by some opposition leaders over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said it is not a national issue.

“When there are more pressing issues like unemployment, inflation and law and order situation, should anyone’s educational degree be a political issue in the country,” Pawar told reporters at Nashik on Sunday.

“Differences are being created in the name of religion and caste. Crops have been destroyed due to unseasonal rains in Maharashtra. These issues need to be discussed,” Pawar said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently raked up the issue of the PM’s educational qualifications after the Gujarat High Court fined him Rs 25,000 for an RTI plea on Modi’s degrees.

This is not the first instance wherein Pawar’s views appeared at variance with the opposition bloc on targeting the government.

In a recent interview with NDTV, which is owned by the Adani Group, Pawar raised questions about the credibility and motives of the international shortseller Hindenburg, whose claims about the overvaluation of Adani Group's stocks had triggered a crash in their share prices.

Pawar had also questioned the rationale behind demanding a parliamentary probe given the BJP's majority. He claimed that the Adani Group was being targeted, adding that the country's economy had suffered as a result.

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