'Constitution under threat'

PWDand District in-charge Minister HCMahadevappa said that the Indian Constitution is under threat and a few anti-social elements are making an attempt to tamper with it.

Speaking after unveiling a life-sized statue of Dr BRAmbedkar and inaugurating DDevaraj Urs Bhavan at Manasagangothri on Sunday, Mahadevappa said that communalists and fundamentalists are trying to create disharmony in the society by weakening the Constitution. "If we fail to protect the Constitution, it will surely affect the people belonging to backward classes and the common man in future," he said.

Mahadevappa said that Manusmiti is active in the society but Dalit and backward classes are being harassed. Without the Constitution, it is not possible for India to turn into a developed country. It is the responsibility of the those who follow the ideologies of Basavanna, Buddha and Ambedkar to protect the Constitution, the minister said.

The minister urged people not to allow communalism and fundamentalism into universities and educational institutions. "Strengthening of democracy and development of the country should begin from universities," Mahadevappa said.

Statue installed

The 9.5 feet bronze statue has been installed in front of the Department of Studies in Library and Information Science.

While the varsity has provided funds of Rs 20 lakh, the authorities have collected Rs 20 lakh donated by the followers of Ambedkar.

While Rs 25 lakh has been invested on the statue, the remaining funds have been utilised on DDevaraj Urs Bhavan, UoMin-charge Vice Chancellor Dayananda Mane said.

MPRDhruvanarayan, MLCRDharmasena, Corporator Purushottam, Karnataka Public Service Commission Member Chandrakanth, UoMRegistrar DBharati, and others were present.