A large number of activists associated with the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) staged a demonstration at Tipu Sultan Gardens near the office of the Deputy Commissioner here on Monday, demanding Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Raichur.
Earlier, they took out a rally from Ambedkar Circle raising slogans against the State government for sending three names — Mysuru, Dharwad and Raichur — to the Union government for establishing the premier institute. They demanded that a fresh proposal be sent, recommending Raichur alone.
“The State government is unnecessarily creating confusion in choosing a suitable place for IIT. The committee headed by Dr. D.M. Nanjundappa for redressing regional imbalances has clearly recommended an IIT for Raichur. The Jagadish Shettar government, in its Kalaburagi Cabinet meeting, had also taken a resolution to recommend Raichur for IIT. Yet the Siddaramaiah government is reluctant to propose Raichur for the institute,” Vinod Reddy, KRV district president, said.
Raichur, he added, was an ideal place for IIT as it was well connected by road and rail, apart from having the Hyderabad International Airport just two-and-a-half hours away by road. “Besides, the district has abundant water resources thanks to its proximity to the Tungabhadra and Krishna. The district also has enough land for the institute. The institute would not only change the educational scenario of the region, but also boost economic activities, which are much required for fighting backwardness,” he said.
The activists also condemned the State government for its “failure” to address the agrarian crisis that was leading to farmers’ suicides. A memorandum was submitted to the office of Deputy Commissioner.
