People's Democracy

  PM Assures Left Of Bringing Corrective Legislation

THE prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh has assured a delegation of Left leaders that the government would bring in a legislation in the forthcoming winter session of the parliament to overcome the judgement given by the Supreme Court on the private educational institutes.

Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), A B Bardhan and D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Abani Roy met the prime minister on August 17 to discuss the fallout of the Supreme Court verdict. The Left leaders expressed concern that this judgement would allow a free run to private managements to profiteer and thus make education a commodity. They told the prime minister that this judgement is simply not acceptable in our society where millions of poor do not have access to education. They demanded government intervention in the form of bringing a legislation to see that social control over these private institutes is put in place.

The prime minister gave a sympathetic hearing to the concerns voiced by the Left parties and assured the delegation that the government would bring a legislation in the next session of the parliament so that the law is in force by the time the next academic session begins. He told the Left leaders that his government would start consultation process with all parties regarding this legislative action, including if necessary bringing an amendment to the Constitution.

(INN)