GULBARGA: The State Government's proposal to rename Gulbarga University after the 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, and the Bijapur-based Women's University after Akkamahadevi has stirred a hornet's nest.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had made an announcement in this regard at the birth anniversary celebrations of Basaveshwara in Bangalore on Sunday.

Bone of contention

The Gulbarga University has been a bone of contention between Dalit organisations and Veerashaiva groups. Dalit groups felt that since Dr. Ambedkar had visited the region and helped in organising the Dalits, it would be apt for the Government to name the university after him.

The Veerashaiva community had been demanding that the university be named after Basaveshwara since the 12th century social reformer had begun his reformist movement from Gulbarga region. The region has witnessed several agitations by Dalits and Veerashaiva community organisations on this issue.

The agitation by Basava Dal and Mathe Mahadevi for naming the university after Basaveshwara had peaked during the tenure of the late J.H. Patel as Chief Minister in the late 90s. It was during this period several seers of the Veerashaiva maths in the district joined the agitation. They had courted arrest and began an indefinite fast inside the Gulbarga Prison.

Status quo

But the agitation died down due to differences among the different Veerashaiva Maths. Mr. Patel, who chaired a joint meeting of the Veerashaiva community leaders and the leaders of the Dalit organisations then to find an amicable solution to the problem, decided to maintain status quo and retain the name of the university as Gulbarga University.

After this, the region did not witness any serious agitation on the issue.

However, the announcement of the Chief Minister, without any serious demand from the Veerashaiva community at this stage, has given ammunition to Dalit organisations to revive their agitation.

Though the proposal on naming the university is yet to get the approval of the State Cabinet, it has generated heat among Dalits. The Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Sagar) has criticised the move and launched an indefinite agitation from Tuesday in Gulbarga district.

Protests would be held in other parts of the State also, it said. Other Dalit groups were likely to announce their plans for protests to force the Government to retrace it steps.

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