The opposition parties in Tripura, CPIM and Congress, staged a walk-out from the Assembly on Wednesday. This protest was in response to a bill proposing the establishment of a private university in Udaipur by an entity based outside the state. This marked the first walk-out in the current winter session of the assembly.
The opposition expressed dissatisfaction with the state government’s decision not to refer the bill to a select committee for further examination. Interestingly, ‘TIPRA Motha,’ the primary opposition party, opted to stay in the assembly despite being the first to demand that the bill be sent to the Select Committee.
The bill in question, introduced by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who also holds the Education and Health portfolio, seeks to authorize the ‘Himalayan Universal Educational Foundation,’ a private entity based in Delhi, to establish an open university in Udaipur. The proposed ‘Tripura Sundari Open University’ would be situated on 5.2 acres of acquired land.
During the assembly session, Opposition leader Animesh Debbarma voiced concerns about the bill, emphasizing the necessity for a comprehensive review by a Select Committee. Debbarma urged for a thorough investigation into the credentials of the private university authority, including its recognition from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the involvement of qualified experts.
He stressed the importance of safeguarding the future prospects of students from the state who might opt to enroll in the proposed university.
Jiten Choudhury, the leader of the CPIM legislature party, supported these concerns, citing previous instances during the Left Front era where similar bills underwent scrutiny by Select Committees prior to approval. He referenced the ICFAI University in 2005 and the MBB University in 2015 as examples and demanded the Bill to be sent to the Select Committee.
‘Let us scrutinize’, demanded Congress MLA Sudip Roybarman supporting the demand to refer the bill to a Select Committee. He emphasized the need for in-depth discussion and examination – if there is no ‘pressure from Delhi’.
In response to these concerns, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha defended the proposed university, asserting that it would be self-funded and would not impose a financial burden on the state government. He guaranteed adherence to UGC guidelines and highlighted the foundation’s deposit of Rs 1 crore as an endowment fund and an additional Rs 50 lakh as a general fund. Dr. Saha emphasized the potential positive impact of the new university on local development and job opportunities.
Despite these assurances, the opposition remained firm in their demand for a review by a select committee. The bill was eventually passed in Voice Vote by the treasury bench, leading to a walk-out by the CPIM and Congress.
