A day after MP and BJP leader Suresh Angadi said that Rani Channamma University should not be allowed to turn into another JNU [Jawaharlal Nehru University] inhabited by anti-national forces, Satish Jarkiholi, senior Congress leader and former Minister, on Wednesday said that BJP leaders were trying to saffronise the institution of higher learning.
This follows a ruckus in the university office on Monday where some youth tried to argue with Vice-Chancellor Shivanand Hosmani for not inviting Mr. Jarkiholi to the university’s events.
Mr. Jarkiholi admitted that his followers and some local residents had gone to the Vice-Chancellor’s office to talk about various issues. At that time, security persons and some students tried to stop them and some were pushed around. It is wrong to say that the Vice-Chancellor was assaulted or his office was vandalised, Mr. Jarkiholi told presspersons in Belagavi on Wednesday.
He described it as an untoward incident that should not have happened. “The Vice-Chancellor has not given any complaint about the incident and the police have not registered any case. I have not influenced any police officer to act in a certain way in this incident,” he said.
According to him, Raju Chikkanagoudar, BJP leader and Syndicate member in the university, was saffronising the university. Mr. Chikkanagoudar is not only destroying the university’s secular culture but he is also involved in various irregularities, Mr. Jarkiholi said.
He said that he had proof of all the wrong doings in the university by various persons, including Mr. Chikkanagoudar, and that he would ensure that the government ordered an inquiry into the irregularities.
“The university is in Bhootaramanahatti village which is under the Chikkodi Parliamentary constituency. Belagavi MP Suresh Angadi has no locus standi to inaugurate works or attend events in the university. But he keeps being invited to the events and not Congress leader and Chikkodi MP Prakash Hukkeri. This clearly shows that the university authorities are playing politics. Mr. Angadi has said that he tried to invite me and Mr. Hukkeri to the university’s events. He has no business to do so,” Mr. Jarkiholi said.
“Mr. Angadi has been demanding action against my followers. Why was he silent when BJP leaders assaulted government engineers a few years ago in Belagavi?” Mr. Jarkiholi asked.
Responding to this, Mr. Angadi defended efforts at saffronisation. “Can we be doing saffronisation in Pakistan, other than in Hindustan?’’ he told presspersons. He threatened to sit on a dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s office if the police did not book a case against the accused in the assault case within a day. “If they are Mr. Jarkiholi’s supporters, he should instruct the police to act against them,” he said.
The police have not registered a case till now. Based on media reports, Police Commissioner D.C. Rajappa has issued a notice to the Vice-Chancellor asking him to file a complaint, if he has any cause for action. But he has not responded, a senior police officer said.