[1]Vittal Malekudiya, a journalism student who was arrested by the police on charges of unlawful assembly and waging war against the nation by allegedly supporting the Maoists, has been denied admission to the third semester of Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) in Mangalore University, Karnataka.
Vittal, who hails from Kuthlur village of Belthangady taluk, was a second semester student of the MCJ course when he was arrested in March 3 this year. After a legal battle, Vittal was allowed to write his internal and semester examination with police escort, while he was still in judicial custody. He is now out on bail and wants to continue his education, but has been denied admission.
As classes are scheduled to reopen on July 23, Vittal wrote a letter to the University stating that he has been released on bail and requested for permission to admission for the third semester. Though such a letter was not necessary, Vittal wrote to the university authorities to ensure that there is no confusion at the last moment.
Vittal, who received a reply from the head of the MCJ department on Monday, was shocked to see the reply.
“The department head denied admission to Vittal stating that he did not have the required 75 per cent attendance in second semester. The letter stated that Vittal has to reappear for the second semester,” Democratic Youth Federation of India district president Muneer Katipalla, who has taken up Vittal's cause, told Deccan Chronicle.
“As per the letter, Vittal has to wait till the second semester starts and then join the semester. His attendance shortage was not because of his mistake, but because police had arrested him. Prior to the arrest, Vittal had good attendance,” he said.
He demanded the University to allow Vittal to join the third semester failing which DYFI and other like-minded organizations have threatened to launch protest.
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