Bangalore: Stir against ‘saffronisation’ - Youth Cong Activists Get Lathi Blows

The Hindu / Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, Feb 5: Undeterred by the lathi blows rained on them by the police for allegedly disrupting a meeting of college principals convened in connection with the Government’s anti-terrorism awareness drive on campuses, the Youth Congress has threatened to intensify its agitation against “saffronisation” of education in the guise of countering terrorism.

Hours after several Youth Congress and National Students Union of India (NSUI) workers were caned by the police for allegedly barging into the venue of the meeting of principals at Central College here, the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Krishna Byre Gowda convened a press conference and declared that the Youth Congress workers would hold protest rallies in all districts on Thursday against the BJP Government’s efforts to “sow the seeds of hatred in young minds” through its “dubious” anti-terror drive.

He condemned the police for committing “atrocities” on Youth Congress and NSUI workers, who were holding a “peaceful demonstration” against the Government’s anti-terror drive on college campuses. “Our activists only wished to hand over a memorandum to the principals and caution them against sending students to the anti-terror campaign. The police let our activists to go in. But, soon they were trapped inside and beaten black and blue by the police,” he said.

He said the Youth Congress and NSUI activists would not withdraw the counter campaign. “The incident has further invigorated us. Far from stepping back, we will intensify our agitation all over the State,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the police said the agitating youth had to be caned when the protest they had organised in front of the Central College campus turned unruly. The police had to resort to caning when the protesters broke the police cordon and barged into the meeting venue. About 15 Youth Congress workers had been detained after the incident, but were released later.

The police also said that the situation was soon brought under control though several Youth Congress workers returned to the venue and shouted slogans against the Government and the police. Mr. Gowda displayed a Government Order issued to principals of colleges across the State directing them to “compulsorily” send students for the anti-terror drive and ensure that the students as well as teachers attended the valedictory of the programme.

He questioned the Government’s propriety in directing the principals to mandatorily ensure student and teacher attendance at the anti-terror programmes. “We are with the Government on the issue of terrorism. But, the BJP Government is using terror as a ruse to create an atmosphere of communal hatred on the campuses and make political capital out of the religious polarisation,” he said.

Congress leader Prakash Rathod criticised the Government for releasing Rs. 2 crore for the anti-terror programme and packing the committees constituted for implementation of the programme with people having RSS background.