YouTube blocks Vartha Bharati Channel's Debate Video on Manipur Violence
Mangaluru: YouTube has blocked a video of the debate conducted by Vartha Bharati channel on the sexual assault of two women in Manipur, citing it as unsuitable for its viewers. The discussion, part of the program 'The Big Debate,' titled 'Naked Parade of Women in Manipur; Nation Stunned,' was aired live on Vartha Bharati's YouTube channel at 8 pm on Thursday. Within an hour, the video garnered over 8,000 views, but on Friday, it was marked as 'private (blocked),' denying further access to viewers.
The Central Government issued an order on Thursday to social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, to remove all provocative posts, including videos, related to the Manipur incident.
However, Vartha Bharati's debate video did not contain any video clips or photos related to the Manipur incident. It only featured images of the accused, without showing any pictures or videos of the victims of the assault. Additionally, debates on the violence and sexual attack on women in Manipur were conducted and posted on several other YouTube channels, not just Vartha Bharati's.
Vartha Bharati had approached the BJP with a request to send a representative to speak on the program, but the party's media in charge declined, stating that Prime Minister Modi had already addressed the country on the issue and condemned the incident in Manipur, and declined to participate in the program.
Consequently, the debate proceeded with speakers from the Congress, the JD(S), and two social activists, with senior journalist Manjula Mastikatte anchoring the program.
YouTube has said that while the content doesn't necessarily break any of their Community Guidelines, it may not be appropriate for all its viewers. Vartha Bharati had appealed to YouTube to lift the blockade on their debate video, but the request was rejected by the video streaming platform.
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Bill to set up single higher education regulator likely to be tabled in Parliament next week
New Delhi (PTI): A Bill which seeks to set up a single regulator for institutions of higher education is required to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing, officials said.
The Bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament next week after it got the Union Cabinet's nod on Friday.
The proposed legislation, which was earlier christened the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, has now been named Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill.
A single higher education regulator, which was proposed in the new National Education Policy (NEP), looks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
"The Bill proposes to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes become independent and self-governing institutions and to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy. It is likely to be introduced (in Parliament) in the coming week," an official said.
While the UGC presently oversees non-technical higher education in the country, the AICTE oversees technical education, while the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers' education.
The Commission is proposed to be set up as a single higher education regulator, but medical and law colleges will not be brought under its ambit.
It is proposed to have three major roles -- regulation, accreditation and setting professional standards, officials said.
Funding, which is seen as the fourth vertical, is not proposed to be under the regulator so far. The autonomy for funding is proposed to be with the administrative ministry, they said.
