Condemning Gulbarga University for not putting up the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar during the hoisting of the national flag at the Independence Day celebrations here on Tuesday, students from different departments of the university staged a demonstration on Wednesday outside the administrative complex of the university demanding a police case against the authorities concerned.
A complaint signed by over 14 people was submitted to the University Police Station demanding action against Gulbarga University Registrar B. Sharanappa on Tuesday.
The agitation on Wednesday was held against the police for not registering the First Information Report (FIR).
“We will form an enquiry committee to look into the matter and take action based on the report of the committee,” Vice-Chancellor of the university Dayanand Agsar said.
The agitators, who appeared to be specifically directing their ire against the Registrar, Mr. Sharanappa, demanded that the committee should exclude Mr. Sharanappa.
“We demanded that the Registrar not be part of the enquiry committee. The Vice-Chancellor [Prof. Agsar] did not provide any information about the committee members. Left with no option, we resorted to the agitation seeking to file an FIR against the Registrar,” Anil Kumar Tengali, one of the protestors, said during the agitation.
The agitating activists demanded the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar.
“We don’t want an excuse or sorry from the Registrar. We want an FIR against those who insulted Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar. It apparently shows that the act of not putting up the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar is deliberate. The police should immediately register an FIR and start the investigation,” said Ashwini Madankar, a social activist.
Prof. Agsar, however, said that the university did not insult any national leader during the Independence Day celebrations.
“The flag hoisting was done only after paying floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar at the Registrar’s office during the Independence Day celebrations. We will be more careful on the issue and ensure that the portraits of both national leaders are put up at the site of national flag hoisting from the next Independence Day,” Prof. Agsar said, admitting to the shortcoming and expressing regret for it.
Mr. Sharanappa pleaded innocence stating that he, despite having full respect for both Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, did not know where to put their portraits during the national flag hoisting ceremony at Independence Day celebrations.
