Telangana Assembly Passes Private Universities Bill

The Telangana Assembly, after a debate and an altercation between the ruling party and the BJP, passed the Private Universities Bill today that will allow private universities to be set up in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari, who also holds the education portfolio, slammed BJP members Dr K Laxman and G Kishan Reddy for their comments against the bill, saying that the Telangana BJP failed to understand the necessity of the private universities in the state.

"Telangana is the fastest growing state in the country, and has a high focus on welfare and education. Private universities will provide more options for our students. Several states have permitted private universities for this very reason, and Telangana should, too," he said.

States ruled by the BJP itself permitted private universities, Srihari said, pointing out that Gujarat had 31 private universities, Madhya Pradesh 24 and Rajasthan 46 in just 10 to 15 years. The Telangana BJP leaders appeared blissfully unaware of that, and were making a hue and cry on the bill, he charged.

"Private universities are being allowed in the state to cater to the needs of the students in Telangana, and not as a sort of retaliation against Osmania University or its students. The TRS government is not intending to cause any problem to the state universities or their students. The BJP leaders should desist from making such baseless charges, and mud-slinging at the government at every available opportunity for political mileage. They should try to have a broad mind instead of confining themselves to the GHMC limits," Srihari quipped.