"No post is permanent', says CM Bommai triggering rumours of his exit
Haveri, Dec 19: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in an emotional address to the people of his constituency Shiggaon in this district said nothing is permanent in this world including posts and positions, fuelling speculation in some quarters about his possible exit.
"Nothing is eternal in this world. This life itself is not forever. We don't know how long we will be here in such a situation, these posts and positions are also not forever. I am aware of this fact every moment," he said.
In an expression of gratitude to the people of his constituency, Bommai said he is only 'Basavaraj' for them and not the Chief Minister.
The CM was addressing people after inaugurating the statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma, the 19th Century queen of Kittur in Belagavi district, who fought against the British.
"I have always been saying that outside this place (Shiggaon) I was Home Minister and Irrigation Minister in the past, but once I was in, I remained just 'Basavaraj' for you all.
Today as a Chief Minister I am saying that once I come to Shiggaon, I may be Chief Minister outside but amongst you, I will remain as the same Basavaraj Bommai because the name Basavaraj is permanent and not the posts", he said.
There have been rumours in some quarters that Bommai is likely to be replaced.
The CM is reportedly suffering from knee related problem, and may undergo treatment abroad but there was no official word on this.
The Chief Minister who turned emotional twice recalled how affectionately he was fed 'Rotti' (Jowar Roti) and 'Navane' (foxtail millet) rice every time he came to his constituency as Basavaraj.
"I don't have great things to say. If I could live up to your expectations, that's enough for me. I believe that no power is bigger than your love and trust.
I try my best not to talk to you in an emotional way but sentiments overwhelm me after seeing you all," Bommai said in a choking manner.
Noting that there was a huge responsibility on his shoulders to plan a comprehensive development of the state and to respond to the demands and requests of every community.
The Chief Minister said, "he always kept his conscience awake every moment and in his every deed".
Bommai took over as Chief Minister on July 28 after B S Yediyurappa resigned on the day he completed two years in office.
ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @BSBommai ರವರು ಇಂದು ಶಿಗ್ಗಾಂವ್ ತಾಲೂಕ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಿತ್ತೂರು ರಾಣಿ ಚೆನ್ನಮ್ಮನವರ ಪುತ್ಥಳಿಗೆ ಹೂಮಾಲೆ ಹಾಕುವುದರ ಮೂಲಕ ಲೋಕಾರ್ಪಣೆ ಮಾಡಿದರು. ನಂತರ ಪಂಚಮಸಾಲಿ ಸಮಾಜದ ಸಮುದಾಯ ಭವನಕ್ಕೆ ಗುದ್ದಲಿ ಪೂಜೆ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ದೀಪ ಬೇಳಗುವುದರ ಮೂಲಕ ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಿದರು. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FlnBbGkqgi
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) December 19, 2021
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Single higher education regulator bill tabled in LS; Oppn flags ‘centralisation,' JPC likely
New Delhi: A bill to set up a 13-member body to regulate institutions of higher education was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, which seeks to establish an overarching higher education commission along with three councils for regulation, accreditation, and ensuring academic standards for universities and higher education institutions in India.
Meanwhile, the move drew strong opposition, with members warning that it could weaken institutional autonomy and result in excessive centralisation of higher education in India.
The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, earlier known as the Higher Education Council of India (HECI) Bill, has been introduced in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The proposed legislation seeks to merge three existing regulatory bodies, the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), into a single unified body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan.
At present, the UGC regulates non-technical higher education institutions, the AICTE oversees technical education, and the NCTE governs teacher education in India.
Under the proposed framework, the new commission will function through three separate councils responsible for regulation, accreditation, and the maintenance of academic standards across universities and higher education institutions in the country.
According to the Bill, the present challenges faced by higher educational institutions due to the multiplicity of regulators having non-harmonised regulatory approval protocols will be done away with.
The higher education commission, which will be headed by a chairperson appointed by the President of India, will cover all central universities and colleges under it, institutes of national importance functioning under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Education, including IITs, NITs, IISc, IISERs, IIMs, and IIITs.
At present, IITs and IIMs are not regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Government to refer bill to JPC; Oppn slams it
The government has expressed its willingness to refer it to a joint committee after several members of the Lok Sabha expressed strong opposition to the Bill, stating that they were not given time to study its provisions.
Responding to the opposition, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government intends to refer the Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination.
Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari warned that the Bill could result in “excessive centralisation” of higher education. He argued that the proposed law violates the constitutional division of legislative powers between the Union and the states.
According to him, the Bill goes beyond setting academic standards and intrudes into areas such as administration, affiliation, and the establishment and closure of university campuses. These matters, he said, fall under Entry 25 of the Concurrent List and Entry 32 of the State List, which cover the incorporation and regulation of state universities.
Tewari further stated that the Bill suffers from “excessive delegation of legislative power” to the proposed commission. He pointed out that crucial aspects such as accreditation frameworks, degree-granting powers, penalties, institutional autonomy, and even the supersession of institutions are left to be decided through rules, regulations, and executive directions. He argued that this amounts to a violation of established constitutional principles governing delegated legislation.
Under the Bill, the regulatory council will have the power to impose heavy penalties on higher education institutions for violating provisions of the Act or related rules. Penalties range from ₹10 lakh to ₹75 lakh for repeated violations, while establishing an institution without approval from the commission or the state government could attract a fine of up to ₹2 crore.
Concerns were also raised by members from southern states over the Hindi nomenclature of the Bill. N.K. Premachandran, an MP from the Revolutionary Socialist Party representing Kollam in Kerala, said even the name of the Bill was difficult to pronounce.
He pointed out that under Article 348 of the Constitution, the text of any Bill introduced in Parliament must be in English unless Parliament decides otherwise.
DMK MP T.M. Selvaganapathy also criticised the government for naming laws and schemes only in Hindi. He said the Constitution clearly mandates that the nomenclature of a Bill should be in English so that citizens across the country can understand its intent.
Congress MP S. Jothimani from Tamil Nadu’s Karur constituency described the Bill as another attempt to impose Hindi and termed it “an attack on federalism.”
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