The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Sparks fly over varsity project

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Friday, Mar 21, 2008
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Sparks fly over varsity project

Special Correspondent

State accused of showing undue favours to foundation

Opposition wants MoU scrapped
Students stand to gain, says Minister

BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition on Thursday lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik Government for ‘showing undue favours’ to the Anil Agarwal Foundation in establishing a world-class university near the Puri-Konark marine drive between Nuanai and Balighai.

Dissatisfied with the Higher Education Minister Samir Dey’s reply to a question with regard to the university project, the Opposition legislators disrupted the proceedings of the Assembly forcing several adjournments. They rushed to the well of the House and stalled the proceedings demanding a detailed discussion on the university project.

The proceedings had to be adjourned thrice during the pre-lunch session with the Opposition standing firm on its demand.

The Opposition members also demanded that the memorandum of understanding signed between the foundation and the government be scrapped forthwith.

Pandemonium prevailed in the House with members belonging to the Opposition and the ruling Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance trading charges over the issue.

Several Congress legislators blamed the government for handing over thousands of acres of land for the university project, which they claimed, would not serve the interest of the State.

As a sizeable portion of the land being handed over for the project belonged to the Jagannath Temple Administration, Congress member Nalinikanta Mohanty questioned right of the alliance government is selling the land of Lord Jagannath to a private organisation.

Mr. Dey, however, said the acquisition of the temple land would be beneficial for the temple administration.

Although Mr. Dey could not give details about the temple land being acquired by the foundation, he said process had started for acquisition of over 6,000 acres for the university project.

Bill on the way

A bill to facilitate establishment of Vedanta University was being finalised for introduction in the Assembly, Mr. Dey said.

Countering the Opposition attack, the Minister said that the university project would be of great help as students of the State would get the opportunity to study in a world-class university in their own place.

The university would have one lakh students and the project would be implemented at a total cost of Rs. 15,000 crore, Mr. Dey said.

Normalcy returned in the House in the afternoon after Speaker Maheswar Mohanty said that the issue would be taken up for detailed discussion on Monday.

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