LS nods Bill to convert three Sanskrit deemed varsities into central ones
New Delhi/UNI: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a Bill that seeks to convert three Sanskrit deemed universities presently functioning in the country into central universities.
However, the debate on the Bill was marred by members exchanging words on the supremacy of Sanskrit and Tamil languages.
The Sanskrit scholars have been demanding the grant of central university status to the three institutions.
Replying to the debate on Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' said it was unwarranted that some members tried to deviate the discussion on the supremacy of languages.
The Minister assured that the NDA government is committed to promote all Indian regional languages.
"We should not be doing this in the House," he said in reference to members expressing different views on supremacy of languages.
"The progress of India is not limited to dispute about languages," the Minister said.
Pokhriyal's reference was to the clash of words between BJP and DMK members after M K Kanimozhi and her party colleague A Raja raised the issue of supremacy of Tamil language.
N K Premchandran of the RSP said while his party would be supporting the Bill but wanted to know whether the government will take adequate steps to ensure that all classical languages would also be promoted on the lines of Sanskrit.
He said Sanskrit organisations across the country were given the funds of Rs 150 crore while all other regional languages were provided only Rs 12 crore.
"This is discrimination towards all other languages."
Praising Sanskrit language, BJP member Satya Pal Singh said Sanskrit language is linked to prosperity and progress.
Making a brief intervention Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and a lawmaker from Odisha Pratap Chandra Sarangi spoke in Sanskrit and said the ancient Indian language has always played a major role in strengthening Indian values.
The three deemed universities are Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and the Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth in New Delhi and the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth in Tirupati.
During the debate, BSP member Kunwar Danish Ali pressed for promoting Urdu language.
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