MLAs demand withdrawal of Jain University's deemed status

Bengaluru: Following the controversy surrounding the staging of a skit during a college fest that was allegedly offensive to both the Scheduled Caste community and the father of the constitution Dr. BR Ambedkar, JDS and Congress members demanded that the state government revoke Jain University's status as a deemed university.

K Annadani, a JDS MLA from the Malavalli assembly constituency, brought up the matter during zero hour, claiming that last week, a skit was staged at the college that insulted Ambedkar. As those students have been detained, it has been learned that action has been taken against them.

"Did they not realise they were insulting Ambedkar when they performed the skit. This is being done with a hidden agenda," he claimed. Annadani added that the students had been detained by the police. But, he continued, "the government must revoke the deemed status."

Several JD(S) members joined him in calling for action against the university. Annadani even reached out to the well of the house and demanded that the status be withdrawn. " They are not entitled in any way to the title of university," he said. According to him, the college lacks even the most fundamental amenities. J. C. Madhuswamy, the minister of law, responded by stating that the government would not tolerate the act.

"We will act if the university is implicated. Currently, it appears that students performed the act, and based only on this, we are unable to revoke the university's deemed status. We'll enquire as to why it wasn't anticipated, ask them to look into it, and take the necessary steps to stop similar situations in the future," he said.