New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu for moving a privilege motion against the culture minister for "wilfully disregarding" the law by appointing as chairperson of the National Monuments Authority a person who does not have relevant educational and professional background.

Ramesh, who is chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change said the minister has "made a mockery of the law".

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The government has appointed Tarun Vijay, a former Rajya Sabha member, as chairman of the National Monuments Authority.

Ramesh said that according to section 20F of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010, the central government shall, by notification in the official gazette, institute an authority to be called as the National Monuments Authority.

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The authority shall consist of a chairperson, on a whole-time basis, to be appointed by the President, having proven experience and expertise in the field of archaeology, country and town planning, architecture, heritage, conservation architecture or law.

"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 mandatorily by Parliament.

"The appointee is a former MP is irrelevant and makes no difference whatsoever. I would like to move a privilege motion against the Union Minister of Culture in this regard for wilfully disregarding the provisions of law passed by Parliament. He has, in fact, made a mockery of this law," Ramesh said in his letter to Naidu.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)