Newindpress

Mangalore, Feb 10: Bandh has lost the sympathy of students -for now in erstwhile Dakshina Kannada district.

The contempt of students towards bandh was exposed in a first-of-its kind exercise, launched with an objective to mount pressure on the polity to introduce a legislation against bandh.

Students from different MSW colleges got 20,000 students from colleges in Udupi and DK districts to sign on 20,000 printed leaflets demanding stringent act on organisers, who give bandh-call for trivial reasons.

Haunted by memories of miseries inflicted by the October communal clash (2005), 20 students from different MSW colleges were trying at initiatives to give expression for a dislike to bandh in a more visible manner.

The idea took a form when these students from St Aloysius, Karavali, Sri Devi, Alva’s, M V Shetty, Roshini Nilaya, University and Srinivas College of Social Work enrolled at ‘Sparsha’ for exposure in practical field work.

Dennis D’Silva of Sparsha, which is into counselling youth, latched onto the idea and extended logistics support to the decision on launching an unique signature campaign.

Sparsha utilising its funds printed 20,000 leaflets addressed to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. The leaflet listed with instances on how bandh in particular affected students and would finally deprive them of employment.

“The demands for banning bandh, law against violent bandh organisers, on lines of those in Maharashtra, were read out and name of student, college, roll number, signature were obtained on the leaflet,” says D’Silva.

From January 21, the students from their own expenses visited over 100 colleges, IT, polytechnic institutions thrice a week and collected 20,000 filled-up leaflets by February 5.

Hilary, Jyothi, Shareef, Sirajuddeen, Sekharappa, Subhani, Shilpa, Clera, Prakash, Saritha, Sahana, Arun, Renita, Junus, Carol and Divya in unison said, their initiative was never even once ridiculed by other students.

“Only some rued on losing a holiday if bandhs were banned,” Shanthi of Roshini Nilaya School of Social Work said.

Selwyn of St Aloysius college said only eight per cent among the students contacted refused to sign.

Ganesh and Shakeer of Karavali MSW college said principals had patted their backs lauding the initiative. Pleased on ending the campaign as expected, D’silva said the objective will be sustained through unique ideas.

“Due to Cauvery issue, we have deferred our decision to visit and submit 20,000 leaflets to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in Bangalore after February 12,” he explains.