Bengaluru, Feb 15 (IANS): Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Saturday criticised the state government, saying that the government should shut bars and not the universities.

“Shutting down universities forces students to migrate to neighbouring states for higher education. The state government should shut down the bars and not the universities in the state. The Congress government has been systematically shutting down universities, similar to how they discontinued various schemes such as Kisan Samman and Vidyanidhi,” said the LoP while addressing a joint press conference at Vidhana Soudha.

He added that the government is presenting a Rs 4 lakh crore budget but also claimed they cannot allocate even Rs 342 crore for universities.

“If they cannot afford this amount, why even present a budget? They won’t close 3,000 bars, but they are shutting down universities,” he said.

He alleged that the government is now targeting universities to prevent youth from graduating, ultimately leading to the discontinuation of the Yuva Nidhi scheme.

“Students from other states and countries come to Karnataka for education, but the government is shutting down Mandya University and replacing it with an amusement park and water sports facility,” Ashoka said.

He further criticised the government for neglecting education in a district with a high Kannada-speaking population.

Ashoka pointed out that there are no new faculty recruitments, no salaries for guest lecturers, no implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP), no funds for classroom repairs, and no budget for textbooks and uniforms. Moreover, no new colleges have been opened.

He further warned that students from Karnataka would now have to migrate to other states for education. He questioned how Karnataka could attract industries when the very reason companies invest here is because of the availability of skilled talent.

Ashoka warned that the decision to shut down universities would severely impact backward districts like Chamarajanagar, Koppal, and Mandya, which were granted universities to promote education.

He asked where the poor families in these districts would send their children for higher studies. He also highlighted that people are already struggling due to microfinance loans, and now, they will have to take loans for education in other districts. He predicted that the affected communities would rise in protest against the government.

Former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said that the closure of eight universities would be a setback to progress.

He accused the Congress of causing regression in all sectors and harming the educational aspirations of the youth.

He pointed out that Siddaramaiah quoted B.R. Ambedkar and Vachana poets during the budget presentation but is now shutting down universities.

He emphasised that quality education is essential for equal opportunities and noted that many districts still lack dedicated universities despite being formed years ago.

Ashwath Narayan added that the Congress government is shutting down universities due to a lack of funds.

He pointed out that during the BJP government’s tenure, universities were established without creating new posts but by reallocating existing ones.

He cited 2021 enrollment statistics, stating that the average college enrollment rate in Karnataka was 33 per cent, while it was only 10 per cent in Chamarajanagar, 15 per cent in Mandya, and 16 per cent in Bagalkot.

He warned that this move would deprive youth of education. He stressed that universities should not be seen as revenue-generating shops but as institutions that provide education, which is the government's responsibility.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, stated that B.R. Ambedkar prioritised education and the Congress government should do the same instead of merely providing free rice.

He criticised the state government for presenting a Rs 4 lakh crore budget while refusing to allocate even Rs 350 crore for education.

He praised the Central government for focusing on education and healthcare but accused the state government of prioritising real estate over education.

He alleged that the government is shutting down Jan Aushadhi (affordable medicine) centres established by the Central government.

He also highlighted that the Modi-led government has expanded railway connectivity by 40,000 km.

Narayanaswamy accused the Congress of trying to destroy what the BJP built, instead of announcing new universities.

"The Congress should have pledged to establish more universities rather than demolishing those built by the BJP. Education and healthcare should not be viewed as revenue sources," he said.

The Karnataka government will bring the shutters down on nine of the 10 new universities that were established during the tenure of the BJP government after it was found that only one of them was fully functional, sources confirmed on Friday.

The decision in this regard was taken in the Cabinet subcommittee meeting headed by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday and the subject was discussed in detail.