MANGALORE: A delegation of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties met the Mangalore University Vice Chancellor TC Shivashankermurthi on Thursday and requested him to withdraw the show cause notice served by the university to the University College Lecturer Pattabhirama Somayaji asking why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him.
The notice was consequent upon a complaint lodged with the university administration by the ABVP alleging that the lecturer had offended Hinduism at his speeches during a procession and public meet that was organized in the city some time back opposing the cow slaughter prevention Bill.
PUCL Vice President Suresh Bhat has informed that the Vice Chancellor who went through the memorandum which has prominent leaders as signatories, assured to consider the demand.
Those who signed the memorandum included Jnanpeet Award winning writer UR Ananthamurthi, writers Vaidehi, Saara Aboobakker, G Rajashekhar, Fakir Mohammad Katapady, renowned film director Girish Kasaravallli, thinker and writer Amritha Someshwara, Dr John Fernandes, Chief of the Mangalore University Chair in Studies on Christianity, P Gokuladas, social activist, B Madhav, labour leader, Yashavanth Maroli, advocate and President of Manavatha Vedike, TR Bhat, former office bearer of Corporation Bank Officers’ Association, PB D’Sa, State Working President of PUCL and BV Seetaram, Chief of Karavali Ale and The Canara Times.
“Efforts are being made to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the institution since the past three years, by trying to curtail the constitutional rights of the teachers and students and by spreading communal hatred. Students belonging to ABVP are responsible for such acts. Their objective is to create an atmosphere of fear in the campus through disruptive acts as a move to pursue Sangh Parivar’s political interests,†the memorandum said.
Related news: