Conference on Deendayal Upadhyaya begins despite cancellation directive; Govt orders freeze on KSOU accounts

The State government has directed banks to freeze the accounts of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), where a three-day conference on Hindutva ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya commenced on Wednesday in defiance of official instructions to cancel the event.

KSOU Vice-Chancellor Sharanappa V. Halase participated in the inaugural function of the conference, which was attended by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is also Chancellor of the University.

Direction from govt.

The Department of Higher Education, in a letter addressed to Prof. Halase on Tuesday, had issued directions to cancel the event with immediate effect, citing “protocol violation” over the university being listed as the “host institution”. This followed the rejection of the Vice-Chancellor’s explanation that the programme was a private event and that KSOU’s role was limited to providing the venue on a rental basis.

The conference, titled “Ekatma Manav Darshan – Bharat’s Worldview,” marking 60 years of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s lectures, has been organised by the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation and Prajna Pravah.

The conference was virtually inaugurated at KSOU’s Convocation Hall on Wednesday through a video message by Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, after Prof. Halase welcomed the gathering in the presence of Governor Gehlot and Suttur Mutt seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji.

Freeze account

The Department of Higher Education, which had earlier flagged that the subject of the conference was “inconsistent with the aims and objectives of the university”, has also initiated steps to freeze KSOU’s bank accounts.

Deputy Secretary to the Government (Universities) N. Kumar has written to the branch managers of HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and State Bank of India in Mysuru, directing them to freeze all KSOU accounts held with their respective branches.

The government cited an ongoing probe by a one-man fact-finding committee headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge B.A. Patil into the alleged financial irregularities at KSOU as the basis for its move to freeze the bank accounts.

‘To aid inquiry’

“In order to safeguard public funds and ensure the integrity of the inquiry, you are hereby requested to freeze (debit freeze) all bank accounts of the university, including linked accounts, until further orders,” the communication to the banks stated.

Earlier in the day, noted sculptor Arun Yogiraj inaugurated the exhibition organised as part of the conference in the presence of Prof. Halase. 

Meanwhile, convener of Prajna Pravah, Karnataka South, Pradeep Bharadwaj, said 640 delegates had registered for the conference, of whom 423 attended the event. A total of 170 papers are expected to be presented during the three-day event.