'Coaching Has Become Commerce': Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar Flags Delhi Flooding Deaths

Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths: MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar has suspended an assistant engineer and terminated a junior engineer for the lapse.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar speaks on Delhi coaching centre deaths.

Source : Sansad TV

The Rajya Sabha on Monday held a brief discussion to flag the death of three students who drowned in the flooded basement of a famed IAS coaching centre in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area. 

Speaking on the issue, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that he received notices under Rule 267 demanding discussion on the "tragic death of UPSC aspirants in Delhi due to negligence of authorities." 

"I find that youth demographic dividend of the country has to be nurtured, I further find that coaching has become virtually commerce," he said on Monday. 

"Every time we read a newspaper, the front one or two pages are of their advertisements...," he added. 

#WATCH | Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar incident | Rajya Sabha to have a discussion on the death of 3 UPSC aspirants.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar says, "I have received notices under Rule 267...They have demanded a discussion on the tragic death of UPSC… pic.twitter.com/MyEezLrlKh

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024

The Rajya Sabha Chairman will also hold an in-chamber meeting with leaders of all parliamentary parties on the issue. 

Earlier in the day, the Delhi police arrested five more accused in the case, taking the total number to five including the owner of the basement, the coordinator of the coaching centre, and an individual who drove a vehicle that appears to have damaged the gate of the building. 

Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Ashwani Kumar also took action in connection with the matter and terminated a junior engineer and suspended an assistant engineer for the lapse. 

'Bulldozer action' also began in the Old Rajinder Nagar area against encroachment in the presence of police. 

Tania Soni and Shreya Yadav, both aged 25, and Navin Delvin, 28 died after they drowned in the basement which was flooded amid heavy rains in Delhi. The basement was being used as a library - attached to a coaching centre called Rau's IAS Study Circle's basement - in violation of the rules.