Lok Sabha Debates
Withdrawal Of The Central Univerities Bill, 2008. on 17 February, 2009
> Title: Withdrawal of the Central Univerities Bill, 2008.
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI): Sir, on behalf of my senior colleague, Shri Arjun Singh, I beg to move for leave to withdraw the Bill to establish and incorporate universities for teaching and research in the various States and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
MR. SPEAKER: Motion moved:
“That leave be granted to withdraw the Bill to establish and incorporate universities for teaching and research in the various States and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.” Shri Varkala Radhakrishnan, do you want to say something? You have quoted the wrong rule. That is relating to introduction of a Bill.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN (CHIRAYINKIL): I oppose the Motion for a simple reason.
MR. SPEAKER: Under which rule?
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : Under rule 72.
MR. SPEAKER: Rule 72 is relating to introduction of a Bill.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : It is regarding Motion. Motion means introduction as well as withdrawal. Both are included in that Section.. I am opposing the Motion.
MR. SPEAKER: But there is another rule. Anyway, I will treat this as under rule 111. Normally, you do not hear the Chair. That is the problem with you.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : I oppose the Motion for a simple reason. We have been supplied with the statement by the Minister on the 12th of this month, that is, the last working day. This is an [U1] encroachment on the powers of the Legislature.
Now, I will explain the position if your honour permits me.
MR. SPEAKER: Why “your honour”? What happened to you today?
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : The Central Universities are functioning in the States for a number of years. The academic year may commence at any time. Now, that being the circumstance, what was the necessity of issuing an Ordinance in the present state of affairs? You will find that the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 23.10.2008. The Chairman, Rajya Sabha, with the consent of the hon. Speaker, Lok Sabha referred it to the Standing Committee concerned. The Standing Committee promptly submitted the Report on 17.12.2008. There was no legislative delay. If at all there was any emergency, it was the creation of the executive, which is not unprecedented and unexpected.
On legislative matters, it takes months for getting a Report from the Standing Committee concerned. But here is a case where the Standing Committee promptly submitted the Report within two months.
MR. SPEAKER: Very good.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : It was presented in both the Houses. The Government ought to have done it earlier. Now, when the House is seized of the matter, it is quite unjustified for the Government to issue an Ordinance on that basis. We are in possession of that. We have done a lot. We have examined the matter. We have made fifteen recommendations, out of which seven recommendations were accepted by the Government. Subsequently, amendments were also made in the Bill. But they have come all of a sudden to issue an Ordinance.
It has become a practice for the executive to make the legislature a rubber stamp of the executive. It cannot be allowed.… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Radhakrishnan, you have made your point very strongly.
SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI: Sir, I have a statement here explaining the position.
MR. SPEAKER: Probably, you have not given him a copy of that.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: All of them have been incorporated in the new Bill, which is the next item.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Do you want to rely on the past?
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Let us look upto the future.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Kindly listen to the hon. Minister. Give her some attention. She is making a statement.
… (Interruptions)
SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI: Sir, with your permission let me read the Statement. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You do not have to read the entire Statement.
… (Interruptions)
SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI: Since the proposal for providing one Central University to each of such States which did not have a Central University had been under consideration for a pretty long time and the announcements made in this regard at the various forums had led to heightened expectations in the concerned States for expeditious action by the Central Government and a number of preparatory steps were required to be taken for operationalising the Central Universities, well in time, for the next academic session, the Government was of the view that immediate action was required for the establishment of these Central Universities.
Whereas the Parliament was not in session and the provisions of the Central Universities Bill, 2008, incorporating therein the aforesaid seven recommendations of the Departmentally Related Parliamentary Standing Committee were to be given effect immediately, the Central Universities Ordinance, 2009 was promulgated on the 15th January, 2009.
I, however, lay the Statement on the Table of the House.
MR. SPEAKER: That you have already circulated.
The question is:
“That leave be granted to withdraw the Bill to establish and incorporate universities for teaching and research in the various States and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.” The motion was adopted.
SHRIMATI D. PURANDESWARI: Sir, I withdraw the Bill.