Kapil Sibal an average lawyer, can't dictate his personal agenda to Parliament: Kiren Rijiju
New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI): Dismissing Kapil Sibal as an "average lawyer", Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said Parliament cannot be dictated by one MP's "personal agenda".
Rijiju's attack came after Sibal said the opposition must not support any move by the government to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma till an inquiry is set up under impeachment proceedings against Justice Shekhar Yadav for his "communal" remarks.
"I got information about Kapil Sibal's effort to protect somebody and to move against somebody. What I have realised is that Kapil Sibal is a senior person, but he is only driven by his personal agenda.
"He doesn't have a concern for anybody. I have requested him to also spend some time in Parliament. He thinks that he can sermonise the MPs and then go back to court," Rijiju told PTI in an interview when asked about Sibal's remarks on the removal of the judges concerned.
The Union minister said. "He (Sibal) does not realise that many MPs have gone far beyond him in terms of understanding, intellectuality, in terms of knowledge. The far super citizen, he is a very average lawyer, but he has been put into such a thing... that he is the person who will shed light on everything. He can't guide the Parliament of India."
Noting that Parliament will be guided by all its members, Rijiju said, "We will not be driven by one lawyer MP's agenda. We are not here to set an agenda or drive an agenda. We are working purely in the interest of the country."
"Why should one person be running around? He has no business guiding Parliament. Parliament is to be guided by all the members combined," the minister said.
The Parliamentary Affairs minister said he would not take a stand on the issue of the removal motion of any judge or any proposal in hand because the Parliament session is going to begin on July 21.
Rijiju asserted that Parliament is the only forum to remove a judge of the Supreme Court or the High Courts, and that is the rule.
They cannot be removed by any other platform because Parliament is the highest elected platform, he noted, adding that the people of India elect their representatives in Parliament.
Sibal has been vocal on the petition for the removal of Justice Shekhar Yadav, signed by 55 Rajya Sabha MPs of several opposition parties, which he claimed has been pending since December 2024. He has also accused the government of "trying to protect" Justice Yadav.
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Yenepoya University conducts autism awareness campaign in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The Department of Occupational Therapy at Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) conducted a community-based Autism Awareness Campaign at Fiza Mall and Ullal Beach in the city.
The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, inclusion, and early identification of autism, in line with the global theme, “Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value.”
The programme was led by Dr. Dhayanithi K and Dr. Ananya Jana as organising chairpersons, with Dr. Anas, Dr. Amanda S. Phillip, and Dr. Ansu V. David served as organising members.
Students of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programme participated in conducting the campaign.
The event included activities such as flash mobs, street plays, face painting, mehendi, and direct interaction with the public.
These activities focused on highlighting early signs of autism, the need for early intervention, and the importance of inclusion and acceptance of individuals with autism.
The campaign reached around 300 to 500 members of the public. It also provided students with practical exposure to community-based rehabilitation and public health education.
As part of the initiative, QR-based digital resources were introduced to help the public access reliable information on autism.
“Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes,” the organising team said.
The department thanked the university for its support in organising the campaign. It also acknowledged the cooperation of the management of Fiza Mall and the Ullal Beach Police Department in facilitating the event.
