Answering a query by Professor P V Krishna Bhat in the Council on Thursday, whether the Government is aware of such activities in the universities and colleges, Minister V S Acharya told the Council that the Government is aware, but it can’t discuss the issue openly.

Describing Naxalism as a hysteria, he said the State is working in its own way to address the issue.

Y S V Datta said the State cannot consider progressive thinkers with leftist ideology as naxals. Chairman Shankaramurthy immediately interfered and both the Government and Opposition agreed with him that the matter being serious needs to be debated.