New Delhi: The Central government and the Delhi government clashed on Monday regarding the deaths of three IAS aspirants at a coaching center in Delhi, with the Centre accusing the Delhi administration of “carelessness” and neglect. The Centre told Parliament that there are clear guidelines for operating coaching centers and emphasized that oversight falls under state jurisdiction. The debate in Parliament saw members from both Houses demanding stringent regulations for coaching centers, with some even proposing a ban, arguing that these centers act as a parallel education system that undermines formal education.
In the Rajya Sabha, criticism was directed at Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). BJP members accused AAP of prioritizing advertisements over civic amenities. AAP MP Swati Maliwal suggested that local elected officials should also be held accountable, pointing out the lack of ministerial or councilor visits to grieving families. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar likened coaching centers to “gas chambers” and stressed the need to scrutinize their significant advertising expenditures, highlighting the commercialization of education as a major concern.
In the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, whose constituency includes Old Rajinder Nagar, accused the AAP of “utter apathy” and called for an inquiry committee under the home ministry and criminal negligence charges against the AAP. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav also demanded accountability, with Tharoor focusing on safety code violations and Yadav calling for a thorough investigation. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, during the Question Hour, avoided directly addressing the incident but emphasized the need for responsibility free from political interference.
Rajya Sabha’s Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar blamed the Delhi government for “carelessness” and suggested measures to improve civic amenities. He criticized the delay in addressing notices issued to coaching institutes. Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized that coaching institutes must comply with regulations and called for shared responsibility between the Centre and states to prevent future incidents.
The discussion also involved critiques of Delhi’s handling of education and civic issues. BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned the issuance of No Objection Certificates for the coaching center’s basement and raised issues with sewage and water shortages in Delhi. Congress’ Randeep Singh Surjewala proposed legislation to regulate coaching centers, including their fees and safety conditions, and criticized the commercialization of education. TMC’s Derek O’Brien and DMK’s Tiruchi Siva raised concerns about education commodification and the role of Delhi’s LG, respectively. AAP leader Sanjay Singh defended the Delhi government, attributing the issues to long-standing MCD mismanagement under the BJP. NCP’s Fauzia Khan, AIADMK’s M. Thambidurai, and YSRC’s V. Vijaysai Reddy joined the call for banning coaching centers, arguing they undermine the formal education system.
