Protagonists of Kannada, writers, former vice-chancellors and thinkers have vociferously urged the State government to keep Kannada University in Hampi out of the purview of the Karnataka Universities Amendment Bill 2017.
“Kannada University, unlike others, is a research oriented university. It has been striving for protecting, nurturing, developing and propagating Kannada, and its tradition and culture. Treating the university on par with other universities and also bringing it under the Karnataka Universities Amendment Bill 2017 would severely jeopardise the purpose with which the university was established. Therefore, it should be excluded from the Bill forthwith. If the government does not heed to the demand, a mass movement called ‘Kannada Vishwavidyalaya Ulisi’ would be launched,” was the unanimous statement released by them. Addressing a joint press conference here on Monday, K. Marulasiddappa, Kalagowda Nagwar, writers, S.G. Siddaramaiah, Chairman of Kannada Development Authority, Hi.Chi. Boralingaiah, former Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, said that they, along with others, including Patil Puttappa, journalist and protagonist of Kannada, L. Hanumanthaiah, former Chairman of Kannada Development Authority, had held a meeting with Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi earlier and put forth their views besides urging him to exclude Kannada University from the purview of the Amendment Bill.
They apprehended that the autonomy of the university on various issues would be withdrawn once the university is brought under the common umbrella of the proposed amendments.
“We told Mr. Rayaraddi at a meeting earlier on Monday that Kannada University was outside the purview of the Karnataka University Act 2000. We also explained how different Kannada University was compared to others and urged him to retain the autonomy enjoyed by it since inception. In turn, Mr. Rayaraddi has promised to take up the issue with the Chief Minister,” they said.
Mr. Hanumanthaiah said that the changes to be brought in will have to be placed before the Cabinet and then a decision taken. “We are hopeful that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has an open mind and would ensure that the university’s autonomy is retained,” he added.
