Mangalore, November 1: Members of Students Federation of India (SFI) barged into Nehru Maidan as C T Ravi, District in charge Minister, Dakshina Kannada, began his Rajyotsava speech and protested against the state government for its decision to close down Kannada schools.
Just as Mr. Ravi began his Rajyotsava address on the occasion of the Karnataka Rajyotsava in Mangalore, SFI protestors entered the Nehru Maidan arena holding placards and shouting slogans against the state government asking it to celebrate Rajyotsava by not closing down Kannada schools as per the recommendation of Prof. Govinda report.
The police sprang into action and took into custody the protesting SFI activists immediately.
Later, speaking to mediapersons, Mr. Ravi said that everyone has the right to protest in a democratic set up but called the SFI move an election gimmick. Mr. Ravi blamed the lack of children in these schools for in defence of the government.
“What can the government do when there are no children in these schools? It is not that we are not concerned about Kannada. In fact, it is our concern for those handful of children in these schools which has driven us to provide alternative facilities for them. This is an issue which the society needs to think about. People are willing to send their children to distant places to study in convent schools but they are not ready to enroll them in Kannada schools”, he said.
47 SFI activists have been detained in Pandeshwar police station for disrupting the Rajyotsava celebrations. Speaking to Coastaldigest.com, Muneer Katipalla, District President, DYFI, said that the state government has no right to celebrate Rajyotsava as it is thinking of implementing the Prof.Govinda report.
“About 17,000 schools in Karnataka and 120 of them in Dakshina Kannada will be closed down. The government has no right to celebrate Rajyotsava”, he said.
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