• Training inside public parks amidst peering eyes
• No uniforms yet but training nears completion 

Mysore/Mysuru: The ‘Onake Obavva Art of Self-Defence Training’ programme in Mysuru is directionless and limping and parents and students have expressed their displeasure on the way the ambitious Government programme is being implemented.

The programme provides a three-month complete self-defence training to over 5,178 girls including 2,316 students from Social Welfare Department, 1,862 from Backward Classes Welfare Department and students from various residential Schools and post-matric girls’ hostels.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched the training programme in Bengaluru in February with much fanfare that is aimed at instilling confidence among girls to defend themselves against anti-social elements and also facilitate their overall personality development

The programme has been jointly initiated by the Social Welfare Department, Backward Classes Welfare Department and girls’ hostels that come under Karnataka Residential Educational Institution.

The programme, named after Onake Obavva, pays homage to the woman warrior who killed intruders of the then Hyder Ali army at Madakarinayakana Kote fort in Chitradurga. Karnataka is proud of its legacy of such courageous women, including Kittur Rani Chennamma and Belavadi Mallamma.

The three-month programme is in the course of completion now but uniforms have not been distributed yet and there is no dedicated place for the girls to learn karate and other self-defence techniques.

In all, students from 24 girls’ hostels are undergoing the training and the programme is being conducted at public parks as there is no place in the hostels that are functioning in rented buildings. The parks are public places and are filled with walkers and to perform martial arts in front of peering eyes is embarrassing for girl students.

As no uniforms have been supplied to them, the girls are forced to practise in their hostel dresses and night pyjamas. Some even wear jackets that intervene in the performance of exercises. Parents said that the least the departments can do is to supply uniforms so that their children are not embarrassed.  

As per the scheme schedule, two classes have to be conducted each week in the three-month course. Since the classes are being conducted inside public parks, they are cancelled if it rains. “Will it take three months to distribute uniforms? Why was the programme launched if the uniforms were not ready? These programmes are just a waste of money and launched only for photographic moments without any planning,” said an angry parent.

Officers clarify

Joint Director of Social Welfare Department Malathi told Star of Mysore that initially, the programme was only meant for three months and the Department had completed the training and had distributed the uniforms. The Government is likely to order the restarting of the classes, she added.

Social Welfare Department District Officer H.S. Bindiya said the programme is being conducted at public parks as there is a paucity of space inside the hostels. “Yes, there has been a delay in supplying uniforms and the same would be done in the next fortnight,” she added.