About 200 teaching, non-teaching staff and students at Bangalore University (BU) protested at the Jnanabharati campus condemning the transfer of funds to build the mechanical block at the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE).
Protesters barged into the finance officer’s room and locked the doors. “They (BU) were ready to consolidate funds from other heads to transfer to UVCE. They (protesters) didn’t want the varsity to disturb this amount as it has been kept for the development of the university and for students’ welfare. Utilising the funds is a clear misuse of power,” said Sudhakar, BU syndicate member.
Police complaint filed
Varsity’s in-charge finance officer, Jayalakshmi, filed a police complaint against some students alleging they verbally abused her.
Representatives of the Bangalore University Teachers Council (BUTC) submitted a letter to the vice-chancellor asking him to stop the transfer of funds to UVCE.
“UVCE has been declared as autonomous institution, then why should Bangalore University lend funds? Transfer of funds will create a fund crunch for pension and other schemes of the university employees,” stated BUTC in the letter.
Syndicate members alleged that authorities were trying to consolidate funds kept in 28 different accounts in the State Bank of India without getting approval from the Syndicate and Finance Committee.