The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Counselling postponed after protest by MDS aspirants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 16, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Counselling postponed after protest by MDS aspirants

Staff Reporter

AGAINST LAPSES: Dentists staging a protest in Bangalore on Sunday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: MDS (Master of Dental Sciences) aspirants on Sunday staged a protest on the St. Joseph's Indian High School premises, where counselling was organised by the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minorities Private Colleges' Association.

They alleged that the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minorities (KRLM) Society was selling seats for money. They later staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Tanvir Hussein Ustad alleged that the counselling process was not transparent.

"The KRLMS has given each rank to at least 10 people. Each rank has been sold for not less than Rs. 25 lakh," he said.

The counselling was being held for 10 seats in the Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences; 19 in Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences; 29 in The Oxford Dental College and three in Al-Ameen Dental College.

Dr. Ustad said that a similar incident had taken place last year. Students had filed a complaint, and a committee was set up to oversee the counselling process. The committee held the process as fake. A case was later filed at the High Court of Karnataka, and it was ruled that re-counselling should be held.

"But the KRLM society did not oblige. The Government was then directed by the High Court to conduct fresh counselling. We got seats, but the colleges refused to admit us," he said. Dr. Ustad's father Sadat Hussein, who is an advocate, said that the High Court had again granted a stay.

"The case is still pending. It has been coming before the Chief Justice for the past three months," he said.

Darshan Hiremutt, another MDS aspirant, said that a Sikh candidate had got a seat that was reserved for Telugu minority.

D.K. Audikesavulu, chairman of the society and MP, said that he had met the protesters and promised them that he would look into the matter. "Some person with vested interests has put such ideas into these students. Counselling was taking place according to the merit list. I met the protesters, pacified them and postponed the counselling," he said.

Meanwhile, the MDS aspirants were planning to submit a memorandum to Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, , who is also Chancellor, urging him to cancel the counselling process and conduct an inquiry.

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