'Renaming St Aloysius College road undemocratic decision'

The government's decision to rename the road from Hampankatta through Light House till Ambedkar Circle after Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty has hurt the sentiments of thousands of admirers of St Aloysius College and educational institutions, the new Rector of St Aloysius Institutions Fr Melwyn Joseph Pinto said.

“It is indeed undemocratic and a unilateral decision on the part of the government to revoke the order which was rightfully contested by us, without taking us into confidence, which amounts to noncompliance of the directive of the High Court,” he told reporters in St Aloysius College premises on Wednesday.

In its judgement on April 11, 2019, the High Court had directed the civic authorities to convene both the opposing groups and reach an amicable settlement.

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St Aloysius College in its memorandum on February 19, 2020, had also made an appeal to involve the college in future deliberations on the issue. The municipality had named the stretch of road after St Aloysius College as early as 1976.

The rector said the institution that has been serving the cause of education for 140 years cannot be overlooked in preference of one individual.

Vijaya Bank Workers' Organisation, which has been pursuing the renaming process, may not enjoy any locus standi as the bank is already merged with the Bank of Baroda, he said.

“We feel that influential people, who claim to believe in equality of rights, are behind the renaming act. The overnight preparation for the inauguration of the road has pained us. It is also a conspiracy to divert public attention from real issues posed by the pandemic,” said the rector.

He urged the government and civic authorities to take a serious note of the incident that has questioned the fundamental understanding of the justice, democratic values and reconsider the decision and ensure that due justice is meted out to our cause.

N G Mohan of Old students Association of the college recollected that Vijaya Bank began operating from a building at Mallikatte.

"Thus, it would have been appropriate to name the road from Bunts Hostel Circle to Mallikatte after Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty. It was a conspiracy against St Aloysius College," he added.