Yaduveer takes part in padayatra in protest against move to close new varsities

MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and others participating in a padayatra at Kushalnagar in Kodagu on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The State government’s move to shutdown newly-formed universities in the State, including Kodagu University, has come under criticism, with a padayatra organised at Kushalnagar in the district on Friday strongly opposing the decision.

MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar took part in the protest, extending his support to the campaign over the proposed closure of nine new universities in the State. “Until the decision is dropped, we shall continue to voice our opposition,” he said.

The padayatra was taken out from the Kodagu University campus to Kushalnagar. Mr. Wadiyar said he would also raise the issue in the Parliament and make efforts to save the universities.

He advised the local elected representatives to raise the issue suitably until the government reconsiders its decision.

“This is not a political fight. This is a campaign to save education. I think the issue required apolitical support. We, the elected representatives, must come together and fight in the interest of the students,” said Mr. Wadiyar.

He said the government has decided to shut down universities in Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Mandya, Haveri, Koppal, and Bagalkot, besides Nrupatunga University and Maharani Cluster University.

Lashing out at the government for playing with the future of the students, he said the decision is condemnable and the government has no moral right to continue when it has taken such a decision. “If it cannot run the administration, it can step down,” he said.

Neither the beneficiaries of the guarantee schemes were getting what the government had promised, nor were the development works happening in the State. The government’s policies have created difficulty for the people, said Mr. Wadiyar.

Calling it a “wrong move”, Mr. Wadiyar said the universities are like “temples” for the youth.

The padayatra was organised by the ABVP. BJP leaders, including former MLAs, took part to express their support.