Union HRD Minister, Smriti Irani was in news on Tuesday. And, once again, it wasn’t because of her role as leading the country’s education ministry.
As is often the case, Irani was being hung, drawn and quartered on social media for what many termed as her ‘foot in mouth’ syndrome.
It was after she took offence to Bihar education minister Ashok Choudhary addressing her as dear.
She refused reflect on her gaffe even when reminded by Choudhary and other social media users that the use of term ‘dear’ was correct in English in official correspondence.
Many users reminded her how her mentor and prime minister, Naredra Modi, had addressed Deepika Padukone and Asha Bhonsle as ‘dear’ in the past.
Some eagle-eyed managed to dig out the old letter of her cabinet colleague Bandaru Dattatreya, who had addressed her as ‘dear’ in his controversial letter demanding action against the Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.
Soon, Irani was also reminded about her own Twitter conversation involving some journalists, who she had addressed as ‘dear.’
She had become an intense Twitter conversation all through Tuesday afternoon.
If she thought the social media users’ attention will die down as the day came to an end, she was blissfully mistaken.
Twitter users launched a new hashtag #DearSmriti to launch what came as a second round of social media onslaught against the controversial HRD minister in Modi’s cabinet.
Also Read | Delhi University tells court they could not find Smriti Irani’s BA degree documents
Irani’s educational qualification is a subject of court proceedings.
A court in the national capital had directed the Delhi University to produce evidence that Irani had indeed completed her Bachelors degree. In response, the DU had informed the court that it failed to find her degrees.
#DearSmriti. Overdose of Saas Bahu operas is detrimental to one's mental health. I hold you responsible for mass dumbing down of society.
— Zeyad Masroor Khan (@zeyadkhan) June 14, 2016
Kyun Ki "Respected" Bhi Kabhi "Dear" Thi ??#DearSmriti
— कोमल 🙂 ?? (@Komal_Indian) June 14, 2016
Kyun Ki "Respected" Bhi Kabhi "Dear" Thi ??#DearSmriti
— कोमल 🙂 ?? (@Komal_Indian) June 14, 2016
As soon as fingers of #DearSmriti starts typing on twitter her foot starts rushing towards her mouth
— WithRG (@CongressFans) June 14, 2016
This was obvious her parents wanted to complete at class 10 atleast but she wanted TV,modelling #DearSmriti
— Intekhab Alam (@Bhola4U) June 14, 2016
HRD stands for human resource development but after #DearSmriti i think it has changed to #HarRojDrama
— vandana sharma (@IndiaTv24) June 14, 2016
After seeing today's dual standard by #DearSmriti thinking not to write Dear for females while writing emails.
कहीं कल को HRD न बन जाये?— Mahi (@msrbpl) June 14, 2016
I remember someone crying over @smritiirani 's GRADUATION degree!!! Find him…He's a messenger of GOD!!! #DearSmriti
— Manish Pupneja (@notatalldumb) June 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/Desi_Trump/status/742785935197278208
#DearSmriti never felt insulted by the words of education minister of Bihar, she just didn't have any answer to the questions he raised.
— Hemant (@Hemant_80) June 14, 2016
#DearSmriti remember this and other headlines which establish you as the MOST UNWORTHY HRM ever?!! pic.twitter.com/3gImw5W6Ck
— Brijesh Kalappa (@brijeshkalappa) June 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/DasBolshevik/status/742764600244998144
#DearSmriti akal badi ya bhains !
— Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) June 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/threeinchfooll/status/742752506237722624
#DearSmriti, go back to school, will you? And, this time, stay until you graduate.
— lindsay pereira (@lindsaypereira) June 14, 2016
This @smritiirani tweet explains why she failed twice in class XII sheer exhibition of Illiteracy by #DearSmriti pic.twitter.com/iPUAGjZxlP
— Vinay Kumar Dokania (@VinayDokania) June 14, 2016
#DearSmriti is upset about someone addressing her as 'Dear,' which happens when you don't go to school and study comprehension.
— With RG (@withRG) June 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/threeinchfooll/status/742740484104151041
#DearSmriti I feel, Dear is a common gender & it does not believes in gender discrimination ?
— SIMA (@seemaadhikari) June 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/office0ffRG/status/742730787494105088