The students of Sahyadri College in Shivamogga, on Wednesday, gheraoed Kuvempu University Vice-Chancellor B.P. Veerabhadrappa and questioned him on the university’s decision to hand over a portion of the campus for setting up a special training centre under the Khelo India project, sponsored by the Central government.
A group of alumni and current students of the college have formed a committee against the project coming up on the campus. Its representatives stopped the Vice-Chancellor, who visited the college to take part in a seminar. The protesters questioned the VC why he had been silent on the issue, when students and many intellectuals of the city opposed the project. The students required basic amenities such as hostels, toilets, and an auditorium on the campus. However, the university had been under pressure from politicians to hand over a major portion of the land for the project, they said.
When the VC intervened saying that he would ensure the students’ requirements were fulfilled on the campus, the protesters said they would not accept handing over the campus for any project. “The college has been named Sahyadri to represent the Malnad region. Constructing buildings alone should not be the motto of the university. It should ensure the campus remains green”, the protesters said.
The students gave up the protest when the VC assured them that he would discuss the issue in detail with the protesters later.
The college was set up in 1940 on 100 acres of land, granted by Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar. Gradually, a few acres of the campus were acquired by several departments for offices. In April this year, Shivamogga district administration wrote to the University seeking a transfer of 18.04 acres of the campus to the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports for setting up the training centre.
At present, the college with separate wings for science and commerce streams is spread over 79 acres. Around 6,500 students are studying on the campus.
