Shift Deendayal Upadhyaya lecture series venue, Karnataka State Open University told

Bengaluru: Minister for Higher Education Dr M C Sudhakar on Monday informed the Legislative Council that the state government would not allow Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) to host a lecture series organised to mark 60 years of the late politician Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s ‘Ekatma Manav Darshan’ series of lectures.

The three-day event starting March 25 titled ‘Ekatma Manav Darshan/ Bharat’s Worldview’ is being organised by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation and Praja Pravah, with Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan set to flag off proceedings. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot too has been invited for the event.

Congress MLC Ramesh Babu sought answers on the use of the KSOU premises for the event, and in his reply, Sudhakar said that instructions had been given to the varsity authorities to shift the venue for the lecture series elsewhere.

There is violation of protocol given that no representative of the state government, including the Pro-Chancellor has been invited to the event wherein a Union Minister is in attendance,” Sudhakar said.

Other Congress MLCs too voiced their disappointment with KSOU for allowing the campus to host an event organised by a private outfit, and demanded action against the officials responsible.

Sudhakar reassured the Council that state-run universities could not host events for private organisations. “They can rent out space but cannot host the event. I learnt about this event only on Sunday afternoon, and when I spoke to the KSOU Vice-Chancellor, he claimed to be unaware of it. But I learnt that he was the chairman of the reception committee after seeing the event’s brochure,” the minister
said.

Notice to VC

The Department of Higher Education on Monday issued a show-cause notice to KSOU Vice-Chancellor Sharanappa Halse seeking a written explanation on the varsity’s decision to allow the lecture series.