1. Opposition, including CPI(M) and Congress MLAs, walked out in the Tripura assembly.
2. The Chief Minister rejected the demand to send a private university Bill to a select committee for scrutiny
3. Concerns were raised by opposition members about approving the Bill without thorough examination.
Agartala, Jan 11: The Tripura assembly witnessed a dramatic turn of events as Opposition members, including CPI(M) and Congress MLAs, staged a walkout following the Chief Minister’s refusal to refer a Bill for the establishment of a private university to a select committee for scrutiny.
As the Bill was introduced in the assembly, opposition leader Animesh Debbarma, along with CPI(M) legislator Jitendra Choudhury and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, raised serious concerns about its approval without thorough examination.
Debbarma clarified that their objection was not against the concept of a private open university in the northeastern state but emphasized the need for a detailed examination by the select committee.
Jitendra Choudhury echoed these sentiments, expressing reservations about a private organization setting up an open university in a state that already housed three private universities.
He insisted on sending the Bill to the select committee for proper scrutiny, citing the lack of public knowledge about the Delhi-based Himalayan Universal Educational Trust, the organization behind the proposed university.
Choudhury drew attention to the scrutinization process of previous Bills related to ICFAI University and MBB University, emphasizing the importance of such oversight.
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He urged the Chief Minister to refer the Bill to the select committee or experts for a comprehensive examination rather than outright withdrawal.
While responding to the opposition’s concerns, Chief Minister Manik Saha defended the Himalayan Universal Educational Trust, citing its experience in running similar institutions in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
He highlighted that the organization had already acquired a 5.40-acre plot in Udaipur, Gumati district, adhering to UGC guidelines.
The Chief Minister assured that the establishment of the open university would not require additional funds and would benefit students who faced challenges completing college due to various reasons.
In the end, despite the opposition’s walkout, the Bill for the creation of Mata Tripura Sundari Open University was successfully passed in the House.
The political divide underscores the differing perspectives on the need for comprehensive scrutiny in approving initiatives of this nature, with the government emphasizing the experience and capabilities of the educational trust involved in the project.
