BENGALURU: Cutting across party lines, MLAs demanded that the Karnataka government take measures to implement 25 per cent domicile reservation for Kannadiga students at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru. They pointed out that of 24 National Law Colleges and Universities in India, NLSIU in Karnataka is the only one which does not provide reservations for local residents.
Raising the issue during question hour, former law minister and BJP MLA Suresh Kumar said Karnataka gave 23 acres of land to NLSIU, and in the past four years, the state government has given grants of Rs 22 crore. This apart, in 2020, the NLSIU Amendment Act was passed, which provides 25 per cent seat reservation for Karnataka students, yet the institution is adhering to the Act. Of 24 such premier institutes across India, NLSUI is the only one which does not give domicile reservations for local students.
“The state government should ensure the Act is implemented and reservation is provided for local students. The government can also check if it can withdraw facilities given,” he said. Responding to him, Law Minister JC Madhu Swamy said that according to the domicile reservation policy, those who study for 10 years in Karnataka have to get reservation. After the Act was passed, NLSIU went to the high court and got a stay. Later, the state government appealed before the Supreme Court.
“Kannadigas who got admission through general merit were merged with reservation, which the university cannot do. Reservation quota cannot be merged with general merit,” he said. The case is before the Supreme Court and a hearing is due in the next couple of days. “We have given power, water and land. We will fight for it,” he said.
Madhu Swamy also said that he and Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who are both Governing Council members of NLSIU, had written to the university, but in vain. “The case is before Supreme Court. We have the best advocate to fight our case. We were also told that the Chief Justice said that all universities and colleges have given reservation for locals, and are hoping the judgment will be in our favour,” he said. If required, we will fight on, he added.
MINISTER LISTS OUT GOVT’S ACHIEVEMENTS
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhu Swamy said the state government had taken several measures to help farmers, improve health infrastructure during the Covid pandemic and took up development works across all the sectors. He was responding on behalf of the chief minister to the debate on the Governor’s address. He listed the government’s achievements and hit out at the opposition for criticising the government. The minister asked Congress why they were opposing the amendment to the APMC Act that helps farmers sell their produce wherever they want to. Even Congress leaders had asked for relaxation on the sale of produce at the APMC to help farmers, but why are they protesting against it now?,” he said.