Harmanpreet can complete her graduation if govt gives her time, says father

A day after the Punjab government withdrew the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) rank from India women’s T20 team captain Harmanpreet Kaur after her graduation degree was found to be fake, the cricketer’s father on Wednesday said she will complete graduation if the government gives her time.

The state government has said Harmanpreet can be retained in the police department only as a constable.

Harmanpreet’s degree was found to be fake in a vigilance inquiry by Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU), Meerut. The issue came to light when the Punjab Police contacted the varsity to verify her credentials.

“I can’t say whether she will continue in the department as a constable. We have not received any written orders of demotion from the department,” her father Harmandar Singh said.

Asked about the degree, he said that he doesn’t know much about it as Harmanpreet did what her coach had advised her to do. “She had also appeared in examination in Meerut and got the degree on her coach’s advice. She had got a job in the railways on the basis of the same degree,” he said.

Her former coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi said, “The government should give some relaxation to Harman as it was her coach’s fault as he advised her to pursue graduation from Meerut.”

“The government should retain her as an honorary DSP and give her time to complete her degree,” he said.

Others will seek similar treatment: Pargat

Jalandhar Cantonment MLA and former Indian hockey player Pargat Singh said, “Players make such mistakes after getting wrong advice. But there are a number of players who couldn’t be recruited on gazetted ranks for not having degrees. If the government gives her time, other players will also ask for the same to complete their degrees,” he said.