State govt circular asking officials to keep tab on 'Kerala students' stirs controversy

Mangaluru: A circular issued by the Karnataka government on December 19, asking colleges in Dakshina Kannada district to keep a tab on students from Kerala has kicked up a controversy.

According to a TOI report, the circular was issued by the joint director, department of collegiate education, Dakshina Kannada hours before violence broke out in Mangaluru during the anti-CAA stir.

In the wake of the sharp criticism of the circular, which has been termed as ‘discriminatory’, Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu Rupesh admitted that the joint director of the department of collegiate education made a mistake in drafting the circular. However, she clarified that the intention was “to stress on the safety” of students from Kerala.

“The decision to issue the circular has been taken at the level of officials. They have taken this step as a precautionary measure in the backdrop of the recent developments Mangaluru witnessed,” said Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan.

Notably, Keralite students account for around 15-20 per cent of the student population in the city. The circular is likely to affect the admissions besides creating fear in the minds of the parents, expressed a chairperson of a Mangaluru education institution.

Reacting to the circular Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza said that it was both shocking and shameful.

Meanwhile Dakshina Kannada District in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojari said it would not be fair to comment on the circular without seeing it.