Udupi: Students March to Create Awareness on Terrorism
 
Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
DHNS
 
Udupi, Feb 15: Awareness Abhiyan for students against terrorism was indeed a memorable march for more than 10,000 students taking part in the 4 km jatha irrespective of scorching sun and burning heat.
 
The event was a surge of patriotic outlook emerging from the cluster of youths in the form of slogans.
 

Speaking after inaugurating the awareness campaign here at the KMC stadium on Saturday, Higher Education Minister Arvind Limbavali said that the extent of terror in India has reached a paramount level and that awareness need to be created in every nook and corner of the country. It is frightening to observe the students' involvement in most of the recent bomb blasts in the country, he added.
 
Expressing concern over the increased terror activities in the State, Mr Limbavali said that Karnataka is becoming a terror hub. Some of the incidents substantiate the involvement of students from Karnataka. Growing intolerance among student community can be owed to lack of ethical education in the curriculum. Students should not encourage terrorism and should be aware of every possible ways to lend support to the law abiding people to eradicate danger, he said.

He said that students should immediately inform the police or the concerned if they come across any unidentified persons in the area and should keep a watch on such students who remain absent for more days, he directed.

Speaking on the occasion, Manipal University Pro Chancellor Dr H S Ballal opined that terrorism is not restricted to illiterates like in the past, it has also stretched its arms to the literate youths. Educated youths are seen using more advanced technology for the terror activities, he added. "India is attacked for historical reasons and for the threat posed by India to be the future super power of the world," opined Bangalore University former Vice Chancellor Dr N R Shetty.

The preachings of Swami Vivekananda are relevant in this context. Youths are restless and responsible for the terror activities. Sarcasm is that youths of today are lacking from role models, he added. Some of the lucrative slogans of the day were "Terrorism and politics make a dangerous concoction," "Respect human rights and dignity," "All religions preach universal brotherhood," "Inquilab Zindabad," "Countries unite and neutralise terror," "No peace of mind till you flatten the terrorists."

MLA Raghupathy Bhat, BJP State President D V Sadananda Gowda, Taranga Magazine Editor Sandhya Pai, Byndoor MLA Laxminrayana, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon, DC Hemalatha were present.