DSS demands to restore the dignity of Ambedkar Bhavan

July 11, 2011

Mangalore, July 11: The members of Karnataka Dalit Sangarsha Samithi (B Krishnappa faction) staged a protest in front of Deputy Commissioner's office here on Monday demanding to rewrite the name of Ambedkar Bhavan which was constructed at Uppinangady PU College.

Addressing the protesters Krishnanada D, District Convener of the Samithi urged the 'Vigilance and Monitoring Committee on SC/ST atrocities' to rewrite the erased name of Ambedkar Bhavan in the presence of Deputy Commissioner.

He said Ambedkar Bhavan was allegedly “claimed and taken over” by a local youth club. The building which had been built with government money but on completion, the youth club had put up a board with its own name and prevented Dalits from using it, he said.

He said the Superintendent of Police of Civil Rights Enforcement Cell misleading the entire issue supporting the youth club to continue their functions in the Bhavan.

He urged the authorities concerned to hand over the key of Bhavan to Gram Panchayat.

He also urged the police department to take stringent action against those, who erased the name of Ambedkar from the Bhavan, under the SC/ST atrocity prevention act.

M Devadas, Shekhar Chilimbi, M Koosappa, Shekhar Hejamady and others were present.

Following the protest, a memorandum addressed to Governor and Chief Minister of Karnataka to were handed over to Deputy Commissioner.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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