Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took exception to the direction by the University Grants Commission to educational institutions to make arrangements for the students to watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech to mark the centenary of RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay and 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address.
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Speaking to reporters on Monday at his residence before Mr. Modi's address began, Mr. Siddaramaiah said there was no need for students to watch the Prime Minister's address if it was on Hindutva. “If Mr. Modi is speaking on Deen Dayal Upadhyay, it could be on Hindutva... there is no need for students to listen to such a speech,” he said.
However, he conceded that he did not have all information about the issue and would gather it from the universities.
Meanwhile, many universities and colleges in Karnataka chose not to stream Mr. Modi’s address. Heads of several colleges said that the instructions from the UGC came too late, leaving them little time to prepare.
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The address was screened at Senate Bhavan at Manasagangothri in Mysuru, even as students gathered outside to protest against the UGC'S direction. The students protest was led by social activist P. Mallesh.
Good rainfall
Pointing out that the state had received good rainfall in the last few days, the chief minister said he will ask the authorities of the Irrigation Department to release water to the canals for fifteen days every month to facilitate agriculture, as the water level in the reservoirs had improved.
He said there is no shortage of seeds or fertilisers for the farmers in the State, while pointing out that the BJP, during its regime in the State, had opened fire on the farmers in Haveri when they demanded fertilizers.
Mayoral polls
To a question on the coming elections to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had held not talks with anybody so far regarding the Congress party's alliance for the impeding polls.