Karnataka withdraws circular asking students to attend PM Modi’s event amid backlash

Amid backlash from the opposition, the Karnataka pre-university (PU) department has withdrawn a controversial order mandating students of government, aided and private PU colleges to attend prime minister Narendra Modi's event on November 11 in Bengaluru.

The Karnataka pre-university department has revoked an order for colleges to compulsorily ferry students to prime minister Narendra Modi's event on Friday in Bengaluru after backlash from the opposition. The circular - which warned of consequences if principals of government, aided and private colleges failed to send students - was shared on social media and drew flak from several quarters.

The circular, which warned of consequences if principals failed to send students, made rounds on social media and drew flak from several quarters. (HT file)

"As decided in the preparatory meeting, principals of government, aided and private pre-university colleges should send the stipulated number of students in respective buses to the prime minister's event on November 11. If failed to do so, the principals will be held responsible for what happens next," it stated.

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"Education department order to principals of all colleges of Bengaluru rural district to (b)ring all PUC (11 and 12 class) students to @PMOIndia @narendramodi event or face action. Why man why? Please leave the students. Let them study. #Bengaluru," a Twitter user, wrote, attaching the circular.

"Why does the BJP require students to miss classes and attend Modi's programme? Isn't this exploitation of children for political ends?" Karnataka Congress spokesperson Lavanya Ballal tweeted.

"The Prime Minister's program… BJP, which has not been able to recruit people, has gone after the students, and the government, which is not doing any work to emphasize the education of the students, is playing with their lives," Dakshina Kannada district Congress posted.

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The circular was revoked due to a lack of security clearance, an unidentified department official told The Indian Express.

"The order to arrange buses for PU students was sent so students can witness the inauguration by PM Modi. Not just PU students, the order also included ITI, diploma and degree students. Since there is no security clearance, PU department decided to withdraw order immediately," an unnamed official said.

According to the Deccan Herald, over 130 buses had been arranged to ferry students to and from the event. Colleges were supposed to send 6,500 students in total, of which 1,550 would be from government PU colleges, 4,250 from private PU colleges and 700 from aided PU colleges, it added.