21-Jul-2024 03:30 PM
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Kalaburagi, July 21 (Reporter) A recent event hosted by RSS at the Central University of Karnataka has sparked a significant political dispute. IT Minister Priyank Kharge has accused the university of turning into an "RSS Shakha," while Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana has defended the event.
The event, held on July 18, saw students and faculty members participating in the singing of the RSS anthem "Namaste Sada Vatsale" and performing the customary RSS salute, "dhwaj pranaam." This gathering was part of the RSS's preparations for its upcoming centennial celebrations.
Kharge flayed the university on the microblogging site X, posting a video of the event and stating, "The Central University of Karnataka was founded by Sri Mallikarjun Kharge to serve the educational needs of students in the Kalyana Karnataka region. Instead of focusing on education, the CUK appears to have become an RSS Shakha. Immediate action is needed to address this."
He also condemned the growing influence of RSS propagandists in government institutions, claiming it has led to a deterioration of the system's integrity over the past decade.
In his defense, Vice-Chancellor Satyanarayana argued that the RSS is not a banned organization and that the event was organized internally by the university’s staff and students. "If the RSS were a banned organization, I would not have permitted the event," he said. "The university regularly hosts various cultural activities, including those by the SC-ST staff welfare association and Bihari Diwas celebrations."
Satyanarayana stressed that the event was an internal matter and did not involve external participants. "There is no issue with holding such events," he added. "The university supports freedom of expression as long as it does not involve banned activities."
The debate continues as political leaders and university officials discuss the implications of the event and the broader issue of ideological influence in educational institutions...////...