Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale on Saturday criticised the state government for passing the Private University Bill in a “haste”. Mr Athawale demanded that the bill also have a provision for reservations for weaker sections in private universities.
“The state government ensured the passage of the Private Universities Bill in haste, and there was no discussion on it in the legislature,” Mr Athawale said.
Demanding reservations for backward classes in the self-financed private universities that will be set up in Maharashtra, Mr Athawale added, “The haste shown by the government evokes suspicion and the RPI condemns it. A discussion should have been held on such an important bill.”
The bill will pave way for setting up of private universities in the field of engineering, technology, management, business and commerce faculties. The bill also offers universities an autonomous entity status with minimum regulatory interference in their formation and functioning. It was passed in both the Houses of the state legislature earlier this week. The Opposition has alleged that the government got the bill passed in the legislative Assembly amidst the pandemonium in the House, caused by the Opposition’s protests over the police firing in Mawal.
“The passing of the bill in haste shows that the state government was working under the pressure of education barons and industrialists. The RPI will hold demonstrations in the state on August 23 to demand reservations in the bill,” Mr Athawale said.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who is currently facing criticism for not providing reservations for backward classes in the Private Universities Bill, had said on Friday that the government was open to making amendments to the Act in the next session.
Other Opposition parties have also opposed the bill and hinted that they would propose a private amendment in the bill during the next session of the state legislature. After the culmination of the Monsoon Session on Friday, Leader of the Opposition in the legislative council Eknath Khadse had also expressed his displeasure over the bill, saying that there was no provision for reservations for backward classes. “We can bring amendments in the next
session through a non-official bill or urge the governor to intervene,” Mr Khadse said.
Responding to the allegation that the bill was passed without proper discussion, the chief minister said that the government wanted a discussion on the bill, but the Opposition was unrelenting. “If they were ready for a debate on an issue, like the Jaitapur nuclear plant in the upper House, for which a special sitting was taken, they should have agreed for a debate on this bill too,” Mr Chavan said.