By Express News Service

BELAGAVI: Congress workers on Monday allegedly assaulted Rani Chennamma University (RCU) Vice-Chancellor accusing him of ‘ignoring’ their leaders, including MLA Satish Jarkiholi. They slapped him and ransacked his office. A group of around 70 people barged into the VC’s office, raising slogans accusing him of favouring BJP leaders at some programmes. They questioned him why Congress leaders were not invited to the foundation laying ceremony of an underpass to the National Highway, adjacent to Rani Chennamma University campus, held a few days ago.

Even before VC Prof Shivanand Hosamani could respond, they slapped him and assaulted him. The group then went on a rampage breaking windows and damaging the interiors, according to an eyewitness. Several top officials of the university, including the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar Siddu Alagur, were at a blood donation camp organised by Red Cross inside the RCU campus at Bhootaramanatti, 20 km from Bealgavi city, when the Congress workers came to the campus. Even as several students and employees tried to stop them, they barged into the VC’s office.

Eyewitnesses said the VC went inside his cabin in an attempt to escape the irate mob when the incident occurred. Later, he had kept his phone switched off and was not accessible to the media.

A team of police headed by DCP Seema Latkar rushed to the spot but the attackers had fled by then.

Speaking to TNIE, Police Commissioner D C Rajappa said some Congress workers were angry over the absence of their party leaders at the underpass foundation laying ceremony where MP Suresh Angadi and some other BJP leaders participated.

“I found out that it was NHAI’s programme and not organised by RCU. We have spoken to the VC and will take up investigation once he lodges a complaint,” he said. Local Congress leaders refused to comment on the incident.

According to RCU sources, the RCU officers attended the underpass function as it fell close to the university campus. But the Congress workers said though the area fell in Jarkiholi and Congress MP Prakash Hukkeri’s constituencies, they were not invited.None of the prominent Congress leaders were ready to comment on the attack on the Rani Chennamma University vice-chancellor.

However, a top leader of the Congress in Belagavi said the RCU top officials did not respond when the activists asked the VC as to why only BJP leaders were being invited for all the university’s events and not Congress leaders.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Suresh Angadi has threatened to launch a protest in front of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s office in Bengaluru if the state police failed to arrest all those involved in the attack on the VC. “When the foundation for the underpass to the National Highway was being laid, near RCU a few days ago, I tried to contact Chikkodi MP Prakash Hukkeri over phone to invite him but he did not respond. I also telephoned former minister Satish Jarkiholi over phone but he did not respond to my call as well. I have got the phone recorder to show they did not respond to my calls despite my repeated attempts to invite them to the foundation laying personally,’’ Angadi added.

For the convenience of the people of villages around RCU and students, a delegation including “Rani Chennamma University VC met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and got the underpass work expedited. None had any intention of ignoring local Congress leaders for the foundation laying,” he said blaming the state government for failing to provide protection to the people. “It is unfortunate that an eminent officer like the VC has been attacked,” he added.