Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Feb 16: "Students do not differentiate on the basis of religion. Community itself is their religion. Students should unite and fight against injustice keeping religion and group affiliations aside," said Mangalore University research student Raghu.

He was speaking during a bandh observed in the University campus at Konaje here on Tuesday February 16, demanding high level inquiry into the suicide of Hyderabad Central University Dalit student Rohith Vemula and arrest of the guilty. The protest was based on the slogan, 'Let communal forces perish and campus democracy be upheld'.

The protest was held in front of the university main entrance as part of the state-wide bandh called by youth, teachers and progressive organizations.

"Students of all religions should unite and fight against injustice, even if happens to upper caste students. All students belong to one university. Thus, the death of Rohith Vemula was an injustice to the entire student community and we should unitedly fight against it," Raghu said.

"There should be freedom to discuss issues in universities. The suppression of such freedom just because of differences of opinion is against individual freedom and the idea of university itself. Universities are meant for discussions on all subjects and learning. Killing someone because of some difference of opinion is against the principle of democracy," he said.

"Like in Hyderabad University, Mangalore University Dalit staff and students too face repeated atrocities," he alleged.

Speaking about the scarcity of buses in Mangalore University, he said, "There are government buses in all the state universities. However, students here are put to hardship as there is no such facility in Mangaluru. It is unfortunate that the fee is more in Mangalore University than in private colleges."

Research student Harish, SFI district secretary Charan Shetty, district vice president Hamza Kinya, journalist Suresh B, Satwik P G, SFI district organizer Madhuri Bolar and others were present.