ACSA Condemns University Renting Hall for Political programme
Mangaluru: The All College Students Association (ACSA), held a press meet at Arya Samaj Mandir here on August 20.
Addressing the mediapersons State President of ACSA Dinakar Shetty said, the Mangala Auditorium of Mangalore University in Konaje has been given for rent to host a political party programme which the ACSA strongly condemns. The University administration has given permission to organise a conference for which BJP leader Amit Shah will be attending. Two years ago when ACSA asked the University campus to hold a programme “Gandhi Tatwada Kadege Vidhyarthigala Nadige” the administration denied to provide us the campus. Students are also not allowed to hold elections on the campus. It is unfortunate that the University administration has rented the Mangala auditorium in Mangalore Univeristy to a Political party. The hall was booked in the name of MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. We hope that there is political pressure on the university administration to grant permission.
He further said, “In this connection, we have already sent an email to the Higher Education minister Basavaraj Rayareddy. We have also requested the minister to stop the administration from encouraging any political parties from holding programmes in the University campus. Giving permission to hold political programmes on the University campus is humiliating and strict action should be taken against those who have rented the hall.”
Dinakar also said, “When we called the Chancellor he said, he is not aware of the nature of the programme, but has charged Rs 45,000 rent for the hall. When ACSA asked permission to hold programmes in the university where most of the ACSA members study, the administration had denied permission. How can the administration show double standards and provide Mangala Auditorium to a political Party?”.
Recalling the ACSA election rally on August 13, Dinakar said that we had taken permission prior to 10 days of the rally, but on the previous day of our rally, the police denied permission giving reasons of security and safety on Independence day. When we informed the MLA of South Constituency, MLA called the police commissioner to provide permission to the students to hold the rally. The police department provided only 5 police for the rally which caused a traffic jam. Even though it was not our fault, if anyone has faced any inconvenience during our rally we hereby apologise through the media. After the rally, many students received court notice for not wearing helmets during the rally. He requested the police officers to withdraw all the cases against the students in this case as it has been a habit for students not to wear helmets during rallies.
When asked why the ACSA is not taking up other issues such as the marks card, late admission issues, Dinakar said that we have taken all the issues and are fighting for the rights of the students. But renting the college campus to any political party is not fair by the University administration. We are not against the programme but we are against the administration for providing the college campus for a political programme.
ACSA leaders Prajwal, Raghuveer, Mandeep, Shailesh, Pratik Poojary, Jithesh Devadiga and others were also present.