Oppn moves privilege motion against Purke

Mumbai, Jul 21 (UNI) A notice of privilege motion was moved in the state assembly against Maharashtra school education minister Vasant Purke for his insistence on including sex education in the school curriculum.

Moving the notice, Senior BJP leader Shobhatai Phadnavis said last year during the discussion on the topic, the Speaker himself had issued a stay on the sex education programme in schools.

She said despite this, the minister, while speaking in the Upper House on discussions on the budget had, indicated that he would continue with the programme.

''This is breach of privilege of the House as the stay was issued by the speaker,'' she said.

The speaker, while admitting the notice, demanded an explanation from the minister. Meanwhile, supporting the motion, leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam criticised the minister and demanded that he be dropped from the cabinet.

Ms Phadnavis and Mr Kadam alleged that during the sex education programme for class eight students in Vidarbha, 'condoms' were distributed and they were advised to have safe sex.

UNI XR/JM RN SB HT1648