Gulbarga University lands in controversy

GULBARGA: Gulbarga University (GU) landed in controversy for deciding to confer honorary doctorates to 10 personalities in the convocation scheduled on February 27.Sources told Express on the condition of anonymity that Governor H R Bhardwaj , also the Chancellor of Universities gave his consent on Friday to the list containing the names of the 10 personalities.It is said for the first time the Gulbarga University will be conferring honorary doctorates to the these many personalities.Apparently,the university landed in trouble for selecting persons without any social background or clean image.According to sources, the chosen personalities included Director General of Police Shankar Bidri, Social Welfare Minister A Narayanswami, former president of Akhil Bharat Veerashiva Maha Sabha Bhimanna Khandre, Dalit leader Vithal Dodmani, Urdu Scholar Abdul Wahab Andalib, Gangadhara Shivacharya of Vishwaradhya Samsthana Mutt of Abbe Tumkur in Yadgir district, Murugharajendra Mahaswami of Jidga Mutt in Aland, Vidwan of Mysore Shivakumar Swami, Artist of Sandur (Bellary district) Kale and Hyderabad Scientist Amrutraj Gupta.The sources said a few days ago, the syndicate of GU selected the names of these 10 personalities and sent to it to Bharadwaj.But former minister and JD(S) leader S K Kanta, in a letter to the Governor,requested him to withhold or modify the list.Kanta mentioned giving honorary doctorates to persons without a clean image or service in any particular field will damage the name of the university.Chairman of Human Rights Committee of Congress, C B Patil Okli condemned the list.GU V-C, Prof E T Puttaiah, told Express he will brief the press on Sunday.