BU idol row reaches Raj Bhavan

Two senior professors of Bangalore University could face action over the recent Buddha and Saraswati idol row on the campus.

With the report on the row on installing the idols at the administrative block reaching Raj Bhavan and with the state government asking the vice chancellor to initiate action against them, the two professors are said to be in a fix.

Triggering fresh controversy on May 6, a group of students had overnight installed the statue of Buddha at a place in the administrative black which housed the idol of Saraswathi all these years. The students, allegedly mentioned in the report, that they were led by two senior professors of the university — Prof B C Mylarappa of the Sociology department and Prof T H Murthy from the Rural Development Department, whose acts have been recorded on CCTVs.

Though university officials resolved the controversy by deciding to install both the statues, the vice-chancellor has sent a detailed report on the incident to the Higher Education Department, Higher Education minister, Governor and also to the commissioner of police.

Confirming this, BU vice-chancellor Prof K R Venugopal said, “A detailed report on the entire incident has been sent to all the authorities concerned including the Governor.” Sources in the university revealed to DH that the report mentions the two names of the professors whose acts have been captured in the CCTV.

Speaking to DH, B H Anil Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department said, “We have received the report. But since the vice-chancellor is the empowered authority to initiate action against those who disturbed the peace on the campus, I have directed him to take action against those responsible for instigating the students.”

Reacting to the episode, Prof Mylarappa told DH that he was no way responsible for the incident. “I returned from New Delhi on Monday morning and directly went to the department as registration for PhDs was under way. I had no idea about this idol installation preparation. When they invited me, I went there as an office bearer of the Bangalore University Teachers Association. One cannot initiate action just viewing the CCTV footage.”

Prof Murthy, professor at the Rural Development Department said, “I attended the event as an office bearer of the Bangalore University Teachers Association. I have no role to play in the episode.”