Bangalore University asks BBMP to stop temple construction

The student organisations, including Naija Horatagaarara Vedike, Post-Graduation and Research Students’ Federation, have warned the university officers that if “they continued with the construction, they would file a police complaint against them.

The Bangalore University has sent a letter to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) asking it to stop the construction of Ganesha temple inside the campus, said a university official on Saturday.

The students and teachers of Bangalore University have been protesting at the Jnana Bharathi Campus, opposing the construction of the temple. (HT Photo)

According to the official, the BBMP is yet to respond to the letter, but the work has been temporarily suspended.

The students and teachers of Bangalore University have been protesting at the Jnana Bharathi Campus, opposing the construction of the temple. The protesting students demanded that a library or other facilities be provided instead of the temple. While protesting, the students said the location selected for the construction of the temple is a “prime property on the campus.”

The BBMP, on Thursday, had written to Jnana Bharathi Police Station seeking protection to recommence the temple construction as some miscreants had stopped the work recently and police protection was required to start the same on September 10.

Following this, around 100 policemen, BBMP marshals and one assistant commissioner of police were allocated to protect the construction activity.

The student organisations, including Naija Horatagaarara Vedike, Post-Graduation and Research Students’ Federation, have warned the university officers that if “they continued with the construction, they would file a police complaint against them.

Vice-chancellor of Bangalore University Jayakara Shetty said during the road widening and grade separator work carried out by BBMP, some parts of the Vinayaka Temple were razed.

The BBMP had offered to rebuild the temple and former V-C KR Venugopal is said to have approved the same. The issue of finding a place was pending for eight months and last week the BBMP started constructing the temple near the administration block without informing authorities, claimed the protesting student bodies.

However, students said there are no proper land records for the temple and blamed supporters of a local politician. According to protesters, the temple construction had started eight months ago but was later put on hold by the university administration. But the construction resumed this month after getting a go-ahead from the BBMP.