HRD minister Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha on Monday. (Source: PTI photo)
Published: 27th April 2015 09:50 PM
NEW DELHI: For months she had been under attack for the functioning of her ministry, finally combative HRD minister Smriti Irani hit back defending her against charges ranging from saffronisation, scrapping of four-year programme in Delhi University, to appointing ideologues to research bodies like ICHR levelled against her within and outside the parliament.
Irani took on the entire opposition in Lok Sabha where the budget and working of Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry was being discussed, even ruffling a few feathers in the process as she defended her actions. She had a spat with TMC MP Sugata Bose as she accused him of misleading the house, while visibly peeved Harvard historian-turned-politician that he has never been asked to sit down since his primary school by anyone. Some MPs could even be heard her asking her not to be arrogant and angry in the house.
The main takeaway of speech was her defence of charges made against her ministry. “Education will be given within the purview of the Constitution, this is our pledge to the students,” NDA government’s youngest minister said replying to charges of saffronisation being carried out by the HRD.
Irani refuted charges of scientists and academicians being mistreated particularly the resignation of IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay chairman Ani Kakodkar’s threat to resign, Irani said it was attempt to mislead the house, as they were still there.
She started her speech with attacking the UPA government of violating the IIT Act, as it had entered into an MoU with Mauritius to build an IIT campus there. “Why was tax payers’ money wasted in agreeing to build a campus there. Why the UPA minister were silent and went against the parliament,” Irani saidthus also explaining the rationale behind her ministry scrapping the MoU, which later became a reason that IIT Delhi director Prof R.K.Shevgaonka to put in his papers. Though, he still continues in his post, as his resignation was not accepted.
Next She explained the reason behind scrapping the four year undergraduate programme of Delhi university, a decision that had led to accusation of interfering in the autonomy of an institution. “We had found out that over 77,000 students were enrolled in 40 programmes not approved by even the President. So do you wanted that after a few years four lakh students were on streets with no value for their degree. If we stopped an illegal step, why are they worried,” Irani said attacking the opposition benches.
Refuting charges of putting party or RSS ideologues in bodies like ICHR, she gave example of historian Purbi Roy, a historian whose husband was a Rajya Sabha CPM MP. “There is Sacchidananda Sahai, in ICHR, he was appppinted by UPA, is it a crime to honour these people. The inquiry committee of Vishwa Bharati was headed by BB Dutt, a Congressman; JK Ray, who UPA had appointed head of institution, we made him national professor. Is it a crime, she added.
The minister then narrated various steps taken by her ministry in running various programme. She asked MPs to contribute in formulate the national education policy. Reacting to charges of budget cuts for her ministry, she said, in 2013-14, the utilisation was 92.9 per cent, it had increased to 97.69 per cent in 2014-15. She said as states would have more funds after the 14 finance commission, so there was no issue of funds cuts affecting any programme.
She said that she would consider the demands of MPs increasing the central school recommendations quote available to each MP from six to 10.
In between her speech Smriti Irani ruffled a few feathers as he replied to TMC MP and Harvard historian Sugata Bose remarks that ministry was helpless in event of cut in funds. Visibly peeved Bose later said he has never since his primary class days have been asked by anyone to sit down, the way minister has asked him to. TMC accused minister of arrogance and asked her to express regrets, minister retorted there was no chance. She even accused Bose of "misleading" the House by referring to Kakodkar's resignation saying he was very much working. “Eminence per se is not a certificate to mislead the House. Eminence per se is not a certificate for you to pass snide remarks. Eminence, in fact, gives you the responsibility to hear the other side of the story as well,” Irani said in her frontal attack on Bose. |
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Combative-Irani-Takes-on-Opposition-Replies-to-Charges-Against-Her-Ministry/2015/04/27/article2786078.ece
In Parliament, Smriti Irani Duels With the Trinamool
All India | Written by Sunetra Choudhury | Updated: April 27, 2015 21:31 IST
NEW DELHI: As far as clashes in Parliament go, Monday's clash in Lok Sabha wasn't the worst by any standard, but what did set it apart was the dashing of Bengali between both parties. When Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani was presiding over a debate on the demand of grants for her ministry, the clashes came fast and furious between her and MPs from the Trinamool Congress. What added fire were Ms Irani's interjections in Bengali.
The disagreement started when Trinamool MP Sugata Bose, a grand nephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, joined issue with the Congress' Sushmita Dev to criticise the saffron appointments in the Indian Council of Historical Research. When Ms Irani responded, the Trinamool took exception to the fact that she called Mr Bose 'that Professor' and 'pointed her finger' at him.
"I know that she is facing tremendous pressure within her party but it is not right to refer to a respected academic in this way," said Mr Bose's colleague MP Saugato Roy, referring to recent reports that Ms Irani may be dropped from the ministry.
"I can tell you that I do not let any aggression affect my professional work and I'll give you an instance of it," Ms Irani responded, relating how she had met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and helped Bengal's education needs.
Professor Bose wasn't assuaged. Upset about being called "that professor", he rued that Ms Irani had not built up a case for HRD's grants but focused on UPA instead. Earlier Shashi Tharoor, a former Minister of State for HRD had criticised the government's education policy to which Ms Irani brought up how the UPA had signed an MoU with Mauritius about Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).
While Kalayan Banerjee, a known member of Parliament's "shouting brigade" kept heckling Ms Irani throughout her speech, she gave it back by shouting, "Boshun, boshun (sit down, sit down)" from time to time.
The disagreement started when Trinamool MP Sugata Bose, a grand nephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, joined issue with the Congress' Sushmita Dev to criticise the saffron appointments in the Indian Council of Historical Research. When Ms Irani responded, the Trinamool took exception to the fact that she called Mr Bose 'that Professor' and 'pointed her finger' at him.
"I know that she is facing tremendous pressure within her party but it is not right to refer to a respected academic in this way," said Mr Bose's colleague MP Saugato Roy, referring to recent reports that Ms Irani may be dropped from the ministry.
"I can tell you that I do not let any aggression affect my professional work and I'll give you an instance of it," Ms Irani responded, relating how she had met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and helped Bengal's education needs.
Professor Bose wasn't assuaged. Upset about being called "that professor", he rued that Ms Irani had not built up a case for HRD's grants but focused on UPA instead. Earlier Shashi Tharoor, a former Minister of State for HRD had criticised the government's education policy to which Ms Irani brought up how the UPA had signed an MoU with Mauritius about Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).
While Kalayan Banerjee, a known member of Parliament's "shouting brigade" kept heckling Ms Irani throughout her speech, she gave it back by shouting, "Boshun, boshun (sit down, sit down)" from time to time.
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/smriti-irani-defends-scrapping-of-fyup-rejects-saffronisation-charge-758564