Mangalore: Students Across Colleges Rise in Unison Against Resort Attack
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje / Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Jul 30: In reponse to the call given by the All College Students' Union, students across the city on Monday July 30 boycotted classes and rose in protest against the attack on boys and girls at a resort in Padil by a Hindu group on Saturday July 28.
At St Agnes College, hundreds of students gathered and shouted slogans. However, as Section 144 is still in place in the city, the police did not allow them to hold the protest.
Similarly, in Besant Women's College, the students tried to stage a protest, but were stopped by the police and had to return home.
In University College, Hampankatta too, police were deployed after students attempted to defy the prohibitory orders and stage protest.
City crime branch inspector Venkatesh Prasanna and other police officials are monitoring the situation.
Police commisioner Seemanth Kumar Singh along with his team is making rounds of the city to ensure peace and order.
St Aloysius College
In St Aloysius College, the protest was held at the College campus. In the wake of the city’s turmoil with regard to the recent horrific attacks, the students and staff of St Aloysius College held a protest at the college premises on July 30.
The protest was supported by students and staff members which included the principal Fr Swebert D’Silva. Judy Pinto, coordinator was present.
The principal appealed to the youth as well as the activists to behave in a civil manner. He said that media has been irresponsible in handling the matter and hence had prooted the wrongdoing.
Rose Veera, HOD of political science reminded the gathering of Kamala Devi Chattapodhyaya and said that no one should invade any person’s private space, while Sarasvathi, HOD of Kannada said that the fight must be taken forward with unity.
Students of the college also had a fair share of their opinions and spoke out. Alister from final year commerce said that Mangalore has gained popularity for all the wrong reasons.
Akansha, another student, voiced out her anger saying that even when girls dress up in Indian clothes they can look as provocative as western outfits, while a girl wearing a short skirt if worn properly can also look decent.
Alwyn D’Sa from the department of English expressed his solidarity with the women of the city and the state.
Fr Francis Almeida advised the students to carry lathis and hockey sticks while attending parties. He also said that all the goons must be banned by the state. Following the agitations and protests, the state administration has clamped section 144 in the city as they fear and outbreak of chaos, he said.
Many other students vented their anger and spoke up, including Sheetal and Sumanth from second year arts, Saksha from first year arts and Taha from second year commerce.
On behalf of the womens forum, Suman from final year commerce discussed the unnecessary moral policing that is rampant in the country and said that India is still not independent especially in such cases.
Donnet D’Souza pointed out that no legal complaint has been lodged against the activists yet.