Special Correspondent

Bangalore, Mar 1: Meanwhile, opposition Congress has opposed the State Government’s decision to hand over about 80 acres of land belonging to the Hampi Kannada University to Vijayanagar Revival Trust to develop a theme park.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah opposed the transfer of land to the Trust on the ground that it would curtail the activities of the university.

Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj, who is also the Chancellor of Universities in the State, has already sought an explanation from the Vice-Chancellor of the University following opposition from certain quarters.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Mahatma Gandhi Peace and Harmony Forum to felicitate veteran political leader M P Prakash and also release a book “M P Prakash matthu Samskrutika Parisara” on Sunday, the Governor said a group of former legislators had submitted a petition to him against the
decision to transfer a part of the university land to a trust.

The Governor said he was not aware of the details regarding the trust to which the land is proposed to be given. “I have  decided to seek explanation from the Hampi Kannada University Vice-Chancellor,” he  said.

The issue of transfer of university land came up before the Governor after a group of people from Hospet submitted a memorandum to him on the occasion against handing over of the university land. The opposition to the government’s move is building up as Dean of Hampi University Language Studies Rahmath Tarikere resigned on Wednesday on moral grounds.

Veteran journalist and Kannada activist Patil Puttappa has threatened to launch a protest if the government goes ahead with the plans to hand over the university land to the trust.

The former legislators’ forum comprising former Hampi University vice-chancellor Dr Chandrashekhara Kambar, among others, has criticised the State Government for handing over land to the trust. The University Syndicate had agreed to hand over the land when representatives of the teaching faculty were absent in the meeting. Dr Kambar has demanded that the Syndicate review its decision

However, Higher Education Minister Arvind Limbavali has defended the decision to hand over the university land to the Vijayanagar Revival Trust and said that the 18-member trust was a government body comprising many legislators and officials. Further, the land would be handed back to the University after the completion of works. The trust will construct a research centre, install a statue of erstwhile Vijayanagar king Sri Krishnadevaraya and also develop a garden, the minister added.