A low-key bhoomi puja ceremony for Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science (RGUHS) campus, at Archakarahalli, Ramanagara, was held on Thursday.
Amidst controversy over shifting Kengal Hanumanthaiah Medical College from the proposed campus of RGUHS, Ramanagara, to Kanakapura, which is the constituency of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, only Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain conducted the ceremony in the absence of Mr. Shivakumar.
However, this is the fifth bhoomi puja programme for the RGUHS campus construction work since 2007. Previously, during the previous BJP government, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had laid the foundation stone on March 28, 2023.
The shifting of Kengal Hanumanthaiah Medical College from the proposed campus of RGUHS Ramanagara to Kanakapura has sparked a controversy. Ramanagara town even observed a bandh on September 8, over the issue and former Chief Minister H.D. Kuamaraswamy has severely opposed the shifting of the medical college to Kanakapura.
However, the issue has taken a legal turn. Kengal Hanumanthaiah Medical College Horata Samiti and farmers who lost their land for the university campus have now decided to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court of Karnataka against shifting the college.
“A dream of 15 years has now come true. The construction of RGUHS campus will go on as per plan,” Mr. Iqbal Hussain said, claiming even the medical college will come up in the same campus. However, the State government not only announced that the college will be shifted to Kanakapura in the budget Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented in July but also issued a Government Order confirming the same.
Farmers who have lost their land to the RGUHS campus also staged a protest at the programme demanding additional compensation for their land.
