Parliament passes sports varsity Bill

NEW DELHI: Parliament on Thursday passed a bill to establish a National Sports University in Manipur, amid protests by Congress members who trooped into the well of Rajya Sabha demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal.

The National Sports University Bill, which was passed by a voice vote in the Upper House, was adopted by the Lok Sabha on August 3.

The bill seeks to set up a specialised university in Manipur, which would be the first of its kind, to promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the proposed university would offer masters and bachelor degree in various fields including sports management and sports science.

Besides the main campus in Manipur, regional centres of the university would also be established in other parts of the country and abroad as well. “We want to establish a high standard institution,” Rathore said.

A sportsperson will be the university vice chancellor, while its academic council will also comprise sports personalities, he added.

Even as the minister was speaking, Congress members kept on raising slogans from the Well of the House against the Prime Minister and the BJP and demanding setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to probe the Rafale deal.

Later, the protesting members set on the floor of the Well continued to raise slogans.