BU students protest against vacating hostel for Covid-19 care

Hundreds of Bangalore University students staying at the hostels on the Jnana Bharathi campus staged a protest on Tuesday after being told to vacate rooms to set up Covid-19 care centres (CCC).

On Monday evening, the university authorities had informed students to take their luggage following the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) order on taking over a few hostel buildings on the campus for Covid-19 centres.

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Most of the students were in their hometowns as there were no classes since March. However, following the instructions from the university, the students arrived at the campus on Tuesday morning. But many from North Karnataka districts and other states were unable to reach.

And those who had come resisted vacating the rooms.

The university has provided 750 beds at two hostels — a women's hostel and a hostel for students from Northeast states — for covid centres.

“I came from a village near Mandya as one of my roommates sent me a message about this arrangement. This last-minute communication is difficult as we need to make transport arrangement to take the luggage," said a women's hostel inmate.

However, the university authorities convinced the students after assuring them to make arrangements to keep their baggage.

Vice-Chancellor Prof K R Venugopal assured students to take care of their luggage and asked them to take only valuables and certificates if any. He asked them to cooperate as it was for a national emergency.

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Venugopal said: "The government had requested us to vacate two of the hostels, where 750 beds could be set up and the facility would be used as Covid care centres. One of the hostels is a women's hostel and will have to be vacated. Our other hostel which was supposed to accommodate women students from Northeast states is vacant, and we will hand that over as well."