-Reshma Ravishanker

The Jnanabharati campus of Bangalore University was filled with chaos on Monday morning as the police resorted to lathi charge on a group of protesters seeking that their marks cards be issued.

On Monday morning, a large group of students, backed by the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishath, BJP’s student wing staged a protest only to be caned by the police later. Among the several students that were charged upon, some were bleeding profusely from their head while other sustained injuries to their hands and legs, according to the protesters.

Among the several demands, protesters were seeking that final year of BSc, BEd and MSc students are issued their marks cards, which has been long pending now, causing a hindrance for them to apply for jobs.

The protesters also claimed that some students from the 2019 batch are also yet to receive certificates and requests for error corrections in marks cards only fall on deaf ears and no action is taken.

Speaking about the incident, Bhuvan Gowda, state secretary, Karnataka, ABVP said, “We had gathered outside the gate and not even on campus. After an altercation between students and the police, they began charging at the protesters. At least 6 students have been severely injured and some had to get their wounds stitched. The police have acted purely under pressure by the vice-chancellor. We tried to meet him but in vain,” said Gowda. The protesters also sought that hostel facilities for women be improved.  

Gowda said that the ABVP has made representations to the Bengaluru police commissioner and Karnataka home minister in this regard and that protest would continue at Bangalore University tomorrow. “Students from across the state will go on a protest tomorrow in solidarity with the ABVP representatives and students who were assaulted today.”

Also read: Maharashtra: Students protest, demand online SSC & HSC exams