Amid a brewing controversy over a three-day event at the State-run Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru to mark 60 years of Hindutva ideologue and Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya’s lectures, the State government on Monday said that the event, which was set to commence on March 25, cannot be held on the KSOU campus.

“What was the need to organise it? There is a protocol violation. There was no explanation as to how the event could help higher education. They have to postpone the programme,” Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar told the Legislative Council after Congress member Ramesh Babu raised the issue. “They cannot organise it in KSOU. He (Vice-Chancellor Sharanappa V. Halase) has been asked to explain the reason. Action will be taken based on an inquiry,” the Minister said.

‘Ekatma Manav Darshan Bharat’s Worldview’, a three-day event commemorating 60 years of Deendayal Upadhyaya’s lectures on Ekatma Manav Darshan had been planned to be organised from March 25 at KSOU in collaboration with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation and Prajna Pravah.

Dr. Sudhakar said, “Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is also the Chancellor of (State-run) universities, have been invited. I did not even know about the event till Sunday (March 22) afternoon despite being Pro-Chancellor (of KSOU). When I asked the Vice-Chancellor, he said he also did not know about the event, but his name is there in the reception committee.”

He said that the government was also not informed about the event. “It is a private initiative. It is different if the venue is given on rent. But in this case, KSOU is seen sponsoring the event and providing the space,” the Minister pointed out. Other invitees to the event included B.L. Santosh, BJP National General Secretary, Prafulla Ketkar, editor of RSS mouthpiece Organiser Weekly, Vice-Chancellors of Jawaharlal Nehru University Santishree D. Pandit and Gujarat University Neerja A. Gupta, Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, among others.

Earlier, raising the issue, Congress member Ramesh Babu took exception to the event being held at KSOU as it neither had any representation from the State government nor any education expert attending it, which violated the protocol.

“KSOU is a State-run university and should work within the parameters set by the government. It has to organise events on educational and related activities. It is spending government money, but has not invited anyone from the government,” he noted, seeking action against the Vice-Chancellor for misusing his powers and furthering personal interest.

Show-cause notice to V-C

The State government has served a show-cause notice on Sharanappa V. Halase, Vice-Chancellor of KSOU, who organised the conference on ‘Ekatma Manav Darshan - Bharat’s Wordview’, in alleged violation of protocol.

Objecting to the programme being planned without bringing it to the attention of the government, N. Kumar, Deputy Secretary of the Higher Education Department, pointed out that the district In-charge Minister as well as the State Minister concerned were not informed or called. He added that it was “in violation of not only etiquette” but showing “disrespect to the government”. A written explanation has been sought.

“Higher Education Minister is the Pro-Chancellor of the University and it is the protocol to invite the Governor along with the District In-charge Minister and the Departmental Minister, while organising such a programme,” he said. Taking a unilateral decision is in violation of the Karnataka State Open University Act, 1992, said Mr. Kumar.

“The logo of the Karnataka State Open University has also been included in the invitation letter of this programme and it is understood that the entire cost of this programme is being borne by the University,” he pointed out.