ABVP stages protest against govt. move to close down nine universities

ABVP students protest proposed closure of universities in Karnataka, demand infrastructure development instead, submit memorandum to Chief Minister.

Strongly condemning the State government’s proposed move to close down nine universities in the State that were established during the BJP regime, scores of students led by office-bearers of Akhil Bharat Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) staged a protest in Hubballi on Monday.

The students who congregated at the landmark Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi held collection boxes and begged for donations from the public to register their protest against the State government’s proposed move.

Addressing the protestors, the ABVP office-bearers strongly condemned the recommendations of the Cabinet Subcommittee led by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on closing down the universities citing financial aspects and lack of infrastructure.

They said that the standard practice is that there should be one university for every 10,000 students. However, compared to the number of students for the year, the State has very few number of universities. Instead of closing down the universities, the government should prioritise providing basic infrastructure and funds for their development, they said.

Prior to the demonstration, the protesting students marched from Ambedkar Circle to Kittur Chennamma Circle. At one point of time there was a heated argument between the police personnel and the student leaders but it was resolved immediately.

ABVP office-bearers Prithvikumar, Monish V.R. Gouda, Siddarth Kori, Danesh Kittur, Anbul Kalburig and others led the protest.

Subsequently, the protestors submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the tahsildar.