Bengaluru, March 24 Karnataka Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar defended the government's decision to cancel a proposed three-day lecture series on the RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay at the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru, stating that public universities must remain apolitical and free from ideological influence.
According to a statement issued by the RSS media group, the International Academic Conference called 'Ekatma Manava Darshan' is scheduled to be held from March 25 to 27 at the KSOU's Convocation Hall.
Responding to criticism from the BJP over the cancellation of the lecture series, the Minister said the government viewed the matter seriously, citing concerns over the nature of the organizing body and the involvement of university authorities.
"Our public universities are meant to be apolitical. No political activities should be conducted in our universities," Sudhakar told reporters in Bengaluru.
Expressing concern over the university's association with the organizers, he said, "It is shocking that our university has joined hands with them. The Vice-Chancellor himself is the reception committee chairman."
Alleging that the organizers were linked to a particular ideological stream, the Minister said, "This organization is an intellectual wing associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). When such an organization is conducting the event and the Vice-Chancellor himself is part of it, I think it sends a wrong message."
Sudhakar also termed the development a "breach of protocol", stating that the government had not been informed about the event.
"This is a State university, and they have not even bothered to inform us. If at all it was related to improving higher education, then the government should also have been part of it."
Reiterating the government's stand, he added, "We cannot misuse university campuses for certain ideological events."
The Minister said the issue had been taken up seriously at the highest level.
"We have taken this very seriously, and I have assured on the floor of the House that the event should not be conducted," he said.
The RSS said the event is organised in collaboration with Prajna Pravah, Karnataka, and the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation.
However, the organizers said the conference will be inaugurated by the Governor of Karnataka and Chancellor of State Universities, Thaawarchand Gehlot, in the presence of Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of Sutturu Math.
Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan will participate and deliver a special lecture on March 26.
"This conference will bring together vice-chancellors, registrars, professors, and research scholars from various Indian universities, along with experts and thinkers in social and political sciences," the organizers said in the statement.