Mangaluru: A press release issued by the St. Aloysius College authorities on April 2 on the subject of naming the road from Catholic Club to Ambedkar Circle after the college, states that they have requested the Mangaluru City Corporation and the District Administration not to proceed in the matter pending the outcome of the judicial process in the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka which is ongoing.
The full text of the Press statement is reproduced below:
“Press Statement”
2-04-2018
Road Controversy from Catholic Club to Ambedkar Circle-Writ Appeal in the High Court by St Aloysius College
St Aloysius College had extended all possible cooperation to the District Administration to amicably settle the issue. However, the Vijaya Bank Workers’ Organization unilaterally filed a Writ Petition in the High Court of Karnataka. When their Writ application was rejected by the Hon’ble High Court, they filed a Writ appeal in the Court. The Writ appeal has been accepted by the High Court with a direction to maintain the status-quo till the case is disposed of. The Workers’ Union has interpreted the said Order of the Court as per their convenience as if they have won the case in the Court. In the meantime, St Aloysius College has filed an impleading Writ Application in the High court of Karnataka. All necessary legal steps will be initiated in this regard. Now that the matter is under the consideration of the judiciary, St Aloysius College has submitted a memorandum to Mangalore City Corporation not to be misled by any such propaganda and that City Corporation and District Administration should not proceed in this matter till the final judicial process is over.
Rev.Fr.Dynisius Vaz S.J. Rev.Dr.Praveen Martis S.J.
Rector & Vice President MJES Principal
Background:
The road from Hampankatta to Dr. BR Ambedkar (Jyothi) Circle is known as Light House Hill road as it houses an old Light House. Atop this hill are historically important buildings like an Idgah, St. Aloysius College and also the founders branch of Vijaya Bank. This road is in the throes of controversy over its name becuase a few years ago, the Vijaya Bank Employees and Officers’ Union had demanded that Mangaluru City Corporation name any one road in the city after Sunder Ram Shetty.
The Union decided to name the road on July 2 of 2017 but St. Aloysius College authorities and students objected claiming that the road was known as St. Aloysius College Road and wanted to continue with the same name.
The issue took a political turn after public representatives Ivan D’Souza and JR Lobo intervened and the state government temporarily postponed the renaming of the road.
However, this annoyed the Vijaya Bank Employees and Officers’ Union who got the support of the Bunts’ Association leaders. BJP leaders too supported them and the entire issue took a political colour.
“It has become common in Dakshina Kannada for any issue to gain a political slant. If the authorities of St. Aloysius College approached Lobo and Ivan, the leaders of Vijaya Bank employees association got the support of the Bunt community and the BJP,” activist M.G. Hegde told the Deccan Chronicle last year. “Instead of taking the issue to political leaders, both sides should come together to solve this problem,” he added.
St. Aloysius College Dean, Prof. A. M. Narahari, however, asserted that the college has not given communal colour to this issue. “The only reason we took this to the MLA and MLC was because they are our representatives and not for any other reason. However, the other side might have given this issue a communal twist,” he told the Deccan Chronicle
Meanwhile Jilla Muslim Saghatanegala Okkuta president K Ashraf has demanded that the road be named as Idgah Maidan Road as there is an Idgah here since 1847.
Subsequently, the Vijaya Bank Workers’ Organization filed a Writ Petition in the High Court of Karnataka. After the Writ application was rejected by the Hon’ble High Court, they filed a Writ appeal in the Court. The Writ appeal has been accepted by the Hon’ble High Court with a direction to maintain the status-quo till the case is disposed of.
