Opposing what they called “preparation behind the scenes” to remove the word “women” from the Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University, Vijayapura, women’s activists, writers, and intellectuals demanded that the Government make no changes in the current name of the institution.
In a press release on Friday, S.G. Jayalakshmi, Akkai Padmashali, Saraswathi D., Akhila Vidyasandra, Sabiha Bhumigowda, Chandravathi S., Vasundhara Bhupathi, Prathibha R., K. Sharifa, and others alleged that those who were supposed to help the university face challenges and achieve its goals were “conspiring to close the institution”.
“It is an irony that we have to fight for protecting the women’s university when the country is gearing up for diamond jubilee celebrations of independence... As per the recommendations of the women’s task force and the D.M. Nanjundappa Committee, the university was established in 2003 for achieving women’s empowerment and increasing women’s participation in higher education in North Karnataka. The university has been striving to achieve its goals despite facing many hurdles and hardships,” they said.
They demanded that politicians should not unnecessarily interfere in the affairs of the university but allow the institution to make strides towards achieving gender equality.
