Ruckus over NEP ends 10-day Karnataka assembly session
Cong accuses BJP of trying to ‘saffronise’ education by imposing NEP, calling it an ‘RSS or Nagpur Education Policy’
The Karnataka legislative assembly witnessed a ruckus on Friday, the last day of the 10-day monsoon session, with the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trading charges over the National Education Policy (NEP) and the opposition party demanding an extension of the session to discuss issues.
The Congress accused the BJP of trying to saffronise education by imposing the NEP, calling it calling it an “RSS or Nagpur Education Policy.”
“(The) New National Education Policy is an attempt to enable upper caste and RSS to enslave marginalised sections, Dalits & women. If we try to oppose, Speaker jumps to justify the government,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah said that the assembly speaker who is supposed to be above politics and unbiased does not behave in this manner.
“Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has no faith in democracy and parliamentary system of governance. The entire government, including CM, is behaving like a puppet of RSS and working on their orders. Speaker had adjourned the session indefinitely based on the direction by the government. The session was being held after 6 months and there were many issues to discuss. I had recommended the business advisory committee to call for a 20 days session as there were pressing issues concerning common man. Speaker had promised to consider the request but it was not extended,” he said.
Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said there is nothing wrong if the NEP is an RSS agenda, emphasising that the policy is meant for “nation building”. “The NEP is to prepare our children for the 21st century and to the global standards.”
Bommai said, “The Congress believed in bringing an education policy based on slavery while the one by the BJP was of self-respect.” Stating that the country doesn’t want Macaulay’s education policy brought in by the English, he said, “It has been detrimental to our country and has not given enough opportunity for our children, especially from rural areas, to compete at the global level.”
Karnataka has already announced to become the first state in the country to implement the NEP.
Assembly speaker Vishweshawara Hegde Kageri was trying to rush members to finish speaking on issues to end the session at 1 pm, but the opposition demanded an extension.
“The session has been called after six months. The government finished their business but we have to discuss the problems of the people,” leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress had demanded that the monsoon session from September 13-24 be extended by at least a week to discuss the problems the people of the state are facing.
Siddaramaiah said there has to be a discussion on the NEP as the policy would impact the lives of children and future generations; he was shouted down by ruling party legislators.
The Congress then stormed to the well of the House, chanting slogans against the BJP which was reciprocated by the ruling party, even as health minister Dr K Sudhakar tried to provide his responses to earlier discussions on Covid-19 in Karnataka.
At least two BJP legislators rushed to the well of the House to protest against the government’s inaction on the reservation demand by Panchamasali, the largest sub-sect within the dominant Lingayat community.
The Congress also boycotted the addressed by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla to the joint session of the legislature.
Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education lashed out at the Congress.
“The Congress party politicised the issue of Covid management and made false allegations in the House yesterday but did not have the decorum to listen to the State government’s reply today, he said.
The Congress party created ruckus in the House today because it did not have the courage to let the people of the State know the truth. This exposes the double standards of the Congress, “ the minister said.
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