Students protest against Shah programme in varsity campus

An association of college students accused the Mangaluru University administration of granting permission for organising a "political programme" by renting out an auditorium in the campus for BJP President Amit Shah's programme today.
The association has also written to Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi to take action against the university.
The 'Tiranga Yatra' which was flagged off by Shah at Pumpwell here culminated in the campus where the 'Balidana Smarane' (honouring martyrs) was organised.
Dinakar Shetty, president of the All College Students' Association alleged that the university has granted permission for organising a "political programme" as such programmes should not be encouraged in the campus.

The government should take action against those who gave permission for it, he said.
The university could have granted permission for the programme if it was attended by the Prime Minister, he said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said the programme would be an apolitical one and no flags and symbol of BJP would be used in the programme in which contributions of Rani Abbakka, who was the queen of Ullal and fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century, and other freedom fighters would be remembered.