Karnataka BJP warns of statewide stir against closure of varsities

Bengaluru: Upset with the state government’s decision to close nine public universities, the BJP leaders warned the government of launching a state-wide agitation to protest the move.

Former ministers and senior BJP leaders, participating in a round-table discussion organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday, said that they would raise the issue in the upcoming budget session of the state legislature.

State BJP president B Y Vijayendra dubbed the state government’s decision to down the shutters of the public varsities ‘foolish’.

“We should launch a state-wide campaign against this unscientific decision. We will table this issue for discussion in the upcoming legislative session,” he said.

Former ministers of higher education Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Aravind Limbavali and C T Ravi sought to draw the government’s attention to the objectives behind establishing these public varsities.

Calling for a socio-economic audit of all universities – state-run and private – Ravi added, “We need to consider the issue economically and academically. Varsities should neither be established nor closed for political gains.”

Ashwath Narayan urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to earmark a one-time ‘seed’ fund ranging from Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore for the varsities, instead of closing them. “These varsities don’t need land, staff or infrastructure. They can sustain themselves with the resources available, but staff must be permanently transferred to these institutions from the parent universities,” he added.

Limbavalli suggested seeking financial assistance from the private sector under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.

Claiming that the Congress government’s decision to close these varsities was politically motivated, he added, “The government is closing the varsities so it can fund its freebies. I also suspect the involvement of private universities behind this decision. The establishment of new universities increased the state’s Gross Enrolment Ratio.”

Former education minister N Mahesh dared the government to close the university in Chamarajanagar.

“Nearly 90 per cent of the students at that university are girls hailing from underprivileged families. I would like to remind the government that varsities are not ‘malls’ that it can expect profits,” Mahesh added.

Former vice-chancellors Siddegowda, S C Sharma, Vishnukanth Chatpalli, MLC Ravi Kumar and Arun Shahapur also participated in the discussion.

‘Bhavati Bikshandehi’ campaign

Meanwhile, the ABVP members said that they have launched the ‘Bhavati Bikshandehi’ (a plea for alms), a campaign aimed at collecting money from the general public to ease the state government’s financial burden in keeping these varsities running.

The ABVP has thus far collected Rs 18,000 from the public, which has been transferred to the CM’s account.