Controversial chapter withdrawn: ABVP glad

Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has welcomed the withdrawal of the chapter ‘Keerthana Sahitya Charitre’ published in second BA (optional Kannada) textbook by Mangalore University.

The student body had raised serious concerns about the chapter which they alleged, had portrayed poet-saints Kanakadasa and Purandaradasa in poor light.

In a release, ABVP city secretary Vikas Katipalla said that the student body had opposed the publishing of the chapter and warned of a widespread protest if the university does not revoke the controversial chapter. The university convened an urgent meeting and decided to withdraw the chapter. “ABVP welcomes the timely decision by the university,” the release said.

Owing to blunders, the textbook committee of Mangalore University has been facing students’ ire for the last three years. “As the committee has failed in maintaining the standard of the textbook, concerning authorities must immediately issue notices to the textbook committee members,” the release added.

The textbook committee members are: Dr Shivaram Shetty, Dr Nagappa Gowda, Dr Rekha Bannadi, Dr H G Sridhar and Dr Jayaprakash Shetty.

“By issuing a notification, Mangalore University should blacklist the erring members of the textbook committee and they should not be assigned major responsibilities such as compiling textbooks in future,” ABVP said in a release.

ABVP would submit a memorandum to the Governor of Karnataka (who is the chancellor of universities). Protests would become inevitable if no action is initiated against the textbook committee, the press release by ABVP added.