Jairam submits privilege motion against Minister on Tarun Vijay's appointment

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Congress Chief Whip in the Upper House Jairam Ramesh on Thursday submitted a privilege motion to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu against Union Minister for Culture G. Kishen Reddy for 'wilfully disregarding the provisions of law passed by Parliament'

Ramesh has objected to the appointment of Tarun Vijay as the chairman of the National Monuments Authority.

He said it violated a law passed in 2010 that says only an expert can hold such a position, and 'has in fact made a mockery of this law'.

Ramesh said in the letter to Naidu that the law mentioned, "Chairperson on a whole time basis to be appointed by the president with proven experience and expertise in the field of archaeology, town planning and architecture"

He said, "For the first time, I find that the Government of India has appointed a Chairperson whose educational and professional background does not, in any way whatsoever, meet the requirements of law as stipulated by Parliament. That the appointee is a former MP is irrelevant and makes no difference whatsoever."

Citing the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act's Section 20F, he added that it stipulates that the chairman to be appointed should have proven experience and expertise in archaeology, town planning, architecture, heritage, conservation architecture, or the law.

Tarun Vijay was a Rajya Sabha member and the editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Hindi weekly Panchajanya.