New Delhi, Sept 29
Days after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal accusing him of delaying the delivery of Aakash, low-cost tablets, to students in the state, it was the latter’s turn to return the jibe today.

“Let Mr Modi come down to earth and we will show him the sky (Aakash),” Sibal said today in reference to Modi’s recent statement on Aakash tablets being elusive. Modi, while addressing a gathering in Gandhinagar on Teachers’ Day this year, had said, “Eleven months have passed by but no Aakash tablet has come down on earth. Now I realise why this gizmo is named Aakash.”

Sibal was quick to settle the scores, sending across two pieces of a reworked version of Aakash-1 to Modi on September 26.

In an accompanying letter where he sent his compliments to the Gujarat CM, Sibal added, “Your statement disappointed me. Education is a collaborative venture beyond the pale of politics. Aakash-2 represents the progressive endeavour of our country to empower the “aam aadmi”. Our dream is to provide Aakash-2 to every student in higher education and for this, your support is required. I am sending you two pieces of Aakash-2, hoping you would be satisfied with the hard work that has been put in by the best of our institutions and people,” Sibal wrote to Modi.

The HRD Ministry is seeking Cabinet approval for government procurement of 5 million Aakash-2 pieces.