Mohan Kuthar

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Mar 9: “A student of research in Mangalore University, Konaje deprived from government facilities had attempted suicide a few months ago. Students belonging to scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) anxious due of the incident have resorted to protests,” said Santhosh, a research student of the university.

He was speaking participating in the indefinite protests held by students of research and post-graduation belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe in front of the administrative office of Mangalore University, Konaje on Thursday, March 8 condemning the alleged anti-dalit policy of the university.

“The management of the university has failed to provide the SC and ST students the facilities received from the government. Only promises are made for our demands. We have resorted to protests after keeping the records of all the previous visits. The protests do not have any inner motive or intent. Though the chief minister asks to quickly resolve the demands of dalits, the university is quiet. The government has approved Rs 16,000 crore for the educational development of SC and ST students; the department of social welfare has utilized only Rs 4,500 crore out of it. The management of the university acts as if it has no contact with the department of Social Welfare. Requests to extend the present research fellowship of four years to five years have not yielded any results. There are attempts to break the unity of students by passing a rule that research is possible only in Mangalore University.

Ramesh Madar, a research student of yoga science, studying here from the past one and half year has neither received fellowship nor laptop. The facilities due to him are not received due to lack of guidance. There is poverty at home. The university has not responded even after the matter was brought to the notice of the management. Therefore, his career may get curtailed, said some protesters.

Research student Shivaraj said that the university charges fees during admission of SC and ST students though other universities do not charge any fees. The fees are not repaid to students who are studying from the past two years. The students are deprived of facilities as the university does not respond to the directions of the department of Social Welfare.

Harish, Venkatesh, Yogish, Divya Salian, Surekha and others were present. A protest rally was taken from the office of the university till the administrative office.

Students demanded and waited for the arrival of the chancellor for 20 minutes. Dr B S Nagendra Prakash stood near the venue and tried to pacify the students, but they refused to budge and raised slogans against the university. Chancellor Prof K Byrappa who arrived later said that about 50% demands of SC and ST students are fulfilled. The remaining demands will be implemented after discussions, he said and went away. The students were not convinced.

The demands of the students were:

To give up certain conditions for admission of research students

Stipend to research students belonging to SC and ST for the duration of five years

Stipend and laptop to Ramesh Madara, a full time PhD student of Yoga and psychology

Early refund of fees to SC and ST students of post-graduation for the year 2017-18

Not to demand admission fees from SC and ST students of post-graduation

Laptops to students of degree and post-graduation belonging to SC and ST

Doing away of the practice of getting written undertaking while issuing laptops

Separate hostel in the university

Continuation of BPEd course

Grievance meeting of SC and ST once in six months

Construction of B R Ambedkar Bhavan in the university premises

Birth anniversary celebrations of Transcendental on respective days