Lok Sabha takes up discussion on bill to upgrade three Sanskrit universities

The Lok Sabha on Thursday took up discussion on a bill that seeks to upgrade three Sanskrit deemed universities into central universities with Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, saying Sanskrit was the "soul of the country".

Moving the Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 for passage in the House, Nishank said Sanskrit had contributed to India becoming 'Vishwa Guru" (world leader) in the past.

He said the language is taught in 250 universities across 100 countries including 14 universities in Germany.

The minister cited scholars and said Sanskrit was a scientific language.

DMK members objected to some of the remarks of the minister and asked if he was a linguist to say that Sanskrit was the greatest language. Nishank said all Indian languages including Tamil and Telugu were among the best.

The bill seeks to upgrade three deemed to be universities in Sanskrit -- Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth Tirupati -- into central universities.

It says that enhancing the status of these universities will give a boost to postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral education and research "in Sanskrit and Shastraic education".