UP minister says politicians, who aspire to be visionaries, need not be educated

“For instance, I am a minister and I have my staff. I don’t have to run jails. There are prison superintendents, others to do that,” the UP jail minister said.

The Uttar Pradesh jail minister Jai Kumar Singh on Wednesday said education was not important for politicians, who only needed to be visionaries.

The minister, elected on Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally Apna Dal’s ticket from Jahanabad, however, later said he had been quoted out of context. (Photo: ANI)

Addressing an event at a college in Sitapur, the minister said, “The educated at times create a bad atmosphere. A leader doesn’t need to be educated. For instance, I am a minister and I have my staff. I don’t have to run jails. There are prison superintendents, others to do that. All that I have to do is to tell them that good food should be served in jails and focus on management. A leader needs to be a visionary...”

A video of the minister’s speech has since gone viral.

The minister, elected on Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally Apna Dal’s ticket from Jahanabad, however, later said he had been quoted out of context.

“I feel I was selectively quoted in the video clip that has gone viral. I had made the comment in a particular context as I was telling the students that they need to study, focus on time management though the same may not be true for politicians. So, I was trying to compare but unfortunately I was selectively quoted. In hindsight, I agree I should have been more careful,” Singh told HT.

His party, the Apna Dal, was cautious in its reaction to the minister’s comment.

“It isn’t what the minister meant,” Apna Dal spokesman Rajesh Patel said.