IIM Bill introduced in Rajya Sabha amid Opposition walkout

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha witnessed high drama on Wednesday as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at establishing a new IIM in Guwahati with Rs 550 crore in Central support.

The Bill, which designates the proposed institute as one of national importance, was introduced amid a walkout by Opposition MPs protesting the denial of discussion on the voter list revision in Bihar.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise the issue of alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise but was interrupted by presiding officer Bhubaneswar Kalita, who directed him to speak only on the Bill under consideration.

The Opposition, citing repeated suppression of debate, staged a walkout from the House.

In response, Pradhan accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings based on misinformation. He referenced a recent controversy involving the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), which had released flawed data related to the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“The CSDS has publicly apologised and withdrawn the data, yet the Opposition continues to use it to mislead the House,” Pradhan said.

He added that CSDS had received research grants from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), which operates under the Ministry of Education, and warned that action may be taken against the institute for misusing public funds to challenge constitutional institutions.

Pradhan further criticised the Congress party for politicising the issue, stating: “This Parliament runs on the tax money of the poor. What are they trying to hide? Why won’t they let the House function?”

He defended the Bill as a major step toward expanding access to quality management education in the Northeast, noting that IIM Guwahati would be the 22nd IIM in the country and the second in the region after Shillong.

As the Monsoon Session continues, the clash over electoral transparency and institutional accountability is expected to intensify, with both sides holding firm to their narratives.

IANS