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Mangalore witnesses student power as thousands take to streets for Anna

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
August 17, 2011

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Mangalore, August 17: In a rare show of 'unity' and 'youth power' thousands of students from various colleges in Mangalore and suburbs on Wednesday boycotted the classes and poured into the demonstration centre of the city filling the vast space between the Office of Deputy Commissioner, Office of City Police Commissioner and City Bus Terminus, and raising slogans in support of anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare.

Students boycotted classes in response to calls given by various students organisations including All College Students' Association of Mangalore University (ACSAMU), Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Students Federation of India (SFI).

“We are here to demand a corruption-free system, as we are frustrated of scandals,” said one among the 10,000 protesters, who were visibly disturbed by the attitude of Union Government.

The unprecedented turnout was a clear message from the student community that they are not ready to tolerate corruption anymore.

Two stages were set up by the agitating students in the morning; while ACSAMU leaders addressed the gathering in front of DC office, ABVP leaders delivered lectures in front of the Commissioner's office.

The traffic flow on the main roads of the city began to be affected from 10:00 am in the morning as ASCAMU and ABVP members took out a march from Jyoti Circle expressing their anger against Union Government and Delhi Police for Hazare's arrest.

Two separate memorandums addressed to the President of India were handed over to the Deputy Commissioner at his office separately by the two organisations.

The memorandum demanded a strong anti-corruption bill as proposed by Team Anna and restoration of democratic right to protest, which had been denied to Hazare and several of his associates.

A senior police officer of the Commissionerate said the spontaneous marches have been largely peaceful but led to the traffic disruption in the city.

Mangalore University Bundh

The students of Mangalore University located at Mangalagangothri on the outskirts of the city too joined the nationwide demonstration in support of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign by boycotting classes.

Over a 1,000 students gathered outside the University campus in the morning chanting pro-Hazare slogans.

“We had an experience of 'University bandh' as no students were ready to attend the classes,” said Safia Naeem, a lecturer at Department of Mass Communication and Journalism.

The pro-Hazare protests are expected to continue in the city as different organisations have planned separate demonstrations.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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