Mysuru: Strongly condemning the skit enacted at Bengaluru’s Jain University where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Dalits were reportedly mocked, members of the University of Mysore Researchers Association and Dalit Vidyarthi Okkoota staged a demonstration in front of Kuvempu Statue at the entrance of Manasagangothri campus here yesterday.

Raising slogans against Jain University, the protesters accused the University authorities and students of taunting Dr. Ambedkar and Dalits during the performance of a skit.

Alleging that Dalit reservation and the trauma of untouchability too were mocked, the protesters maintained that such an act was an attack on Constitutional rights.

Demanding that all those who took part in the play and others responsible for the insult be booked as per law and stringent action be taken against them, the protesters sought the cancellation of recognition of Jain University, which they said was promoting caste discrimination.

MLC demands action: BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath, who also joined the protesters, demanded immediate derecognition of the institution. He regretted that the Government woke up to the insult only after democratic institutions protested against the skit. “The Minister for Higher Education has woken up now,” he said referring to the instructions he had issued to the Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department to conduct a probe and submit a report on the controversial skit.

He also lamented the failure of the Civil Rights Enforcement (CRE) Cell to take suo moto notice of the skit. He said the State Govt. should derecognise the institution and take action against the members of the Managing Committee for the lapse.

Researchers Association President Nataraj Shivanna, office-bearers Kallahalli Kumar, Sosale Mahesh, Dalit Vidyarthi Okkoota President Paranjyoti, office-bearers Kartik, Maruti, Varahalli Anand, Shankar, Rangaswamy, Shivashankar, Jagadish, Praveen, Ningaraju and others were present.