Mangaluru: After Sri Ram Sena raid, St Thomas School suspends Arabic class

executive@coastaldigest.com (CD Network)
August 6, 2016

Mangaluru, Aug 6: A week after Sri Ram Sena activists raided the St Thomas Aided Higher Primary School at Bondanthila in the outskirts of the city, the management of the school has decided to suspend the optional Arabic language teaching class.

bondanthile 9

The decision comes after the school management convened a meeting of village elders and parents on Friday in the wake of increased pressure by the Hindutva groups to stop the Arabic class.

The Sri Ram Sena had threatened to hold protests if the school continued to hold Arabic classes. The group, however, has not raised objection to teaching of other foreign languages like French and German.

On July 30 a group of around 40 miscreants belonging to Sri Ram Sena barged into the school while the Arabic teaching was going on in a classroom. Even though the students clarified that no one forced them to learn Arabic, the intruders threatened the Arabic teacher and snatched books from the students.

Following a complaint from the school headmaster Mangaluru Rural Police has registered cases of trespass and rioting against the Sri Ram Sena activists. Around 20 miscreants were taken into custody after the incident.

According to Melwyn Braggs, the headmaster of the School, they had been teaching German, French and Arabic to students for the last few years. This year, parents had, during the parent-teacher meeting, said they did not want French and German but wanted Arabic and karate classes to continue.

While karate is taught on Friday, Arabic classes are held on Saturday, and the school management had made arrangements for teachers to teach these subjects.

Braggs, rubbished the allegations of forcibly teaching Arabic students and said that attendance to these classes was purely voluntary. Only about 40 of the 59 students of classes 6 and 7 were attending the Arabic class, he said.

Also Read:

Mangaluru: 16 Sri Ram Sena activists arrested for school raid

Hindutva activists raid St Thomas school over Arabic class, videograph girls

Arabic class may produce terrorists; will hold protest at churches: Sri Ram Sena

Comments

Wake uP
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

As A.Mangalore (4) said thousands of hindus working in Gulf?
What will happen if they learn Arabic in Gulf ... Question : WILL they all Become Terrorist?
When your dirty tactics doesnt work to fool people, then your plan will be dumb, you all will be in stupidity... LOOKS VERY STUPID.

Dont play with Divine religion, U will be looked after by your CREATOR on your mischief and ALLAH is the best of Planner... All your plans are flopping and now U guys look VERY STUPID in your claim.
Divine religion will be spread despite your evil agenda.
Try whatever ways
Try whatever wealth
Try whatever manpower
Try whatever energy U have. U will have to bow down to the divine religion...
Please read atleast one time in your life time the DIVINE SCRIPTURE (The QURAN) & Know who is enemy of MANKIND? is it MUSLIMs or those put hatred in the people . U will get a CLEAR answer to those who are intellect in searching for the TRUE GOD.

Karana rao
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

good finally school accepted whatever they are doing is totally wrong.

manmohan
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

what was the need of teaching arabic in school, if students was that much interested to learn they could learn from madrasa.

shiva sena mangalore
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

well done!! this s how we deal with schools,

A. Mangalore
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

Now I am worried that there are thousands of Hindus from our state are working in the gulf state where the official language and spoken language is Arabic. Thousands of hindu students are also going here for schools and there is a option of learning Arabic also in the schools.
Now these hate mongers may give order for all the hindus to leave the job of Arabic countries and come back to India.

SK
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

No problem, Muslim students will learn Arabic at home/Madrasa......Hindus are not at all interested.... But the christans are the losers

N S Mohammed
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

Government is helpless in front of Hindu extremist group. This is encouraging to chaddi group.
Unless sleeping government start to take stringiest action against this chaddis & public United against social enemies good citizen faces issues. Only jobless uneducated people get temporary victory over land.

But don't forget every human being accounted for their deeds on the earth none is spared regardless his strength, power on earth.

Abdullah
 - 
Saturday, 6 Aug 2016

I thank the school management and headmaster for arranging Arabic language classes to interested students including my son. Now suspending Arabic class is also a wise decision in the wake of threats from Sri Ram Sena and other uneducated hatemonger groups.

I, as a parent of one of the students of the school request the police to book all those who raided the school under Goonda Act and break their legs in custody.

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 15,2025

vamannandavar.jpg

Mangaluru, Mar 15: Noted Tulu-Kannada scholar, folklorist, and former president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Dr. Vamana Nandavara, passed away on Saturday at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness.

A distinguished literary figure, Dr. Nandavara made significant contributions to the study of Tulu folklore, poetry, and cultural history. He was a native of Nandavara village in Bantwal taluk and was the son of Babu Balepuni and Poovamma. He is survived by his wife, writer Chandrakala Nandavara, a son, and a daughter.

A Life Dedicated to Literature and Folklore

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Nandavara was honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the Kantavara Kannada Sangha Award, Tulu Sahitya Academy Honorary Award, Polali Sheenappa Hegde Award, Karnataka Nataka Academy Honorary Award, and the Bannanje Babu Amin Award.

His literary works encompassed multiple genres, including poetry, folklore studies, and critical essays. Some of his most celebrated publications include:

Taalamela – A Kannada poetry collection

Olepataki – A compilation of Tulu-Kannada riddles

Tuluvere Kusal-Kusel – A study of Tulu folklore

Singadana and Tulu Panikate – Analytical works on Tulu folk traditions

Koti-Chennaya: Folklore and Beyond – A study of Tulu history and mythology

Nambike – A critique of D.V. Gundappa’s literature

Tulu Sahitya Charitre and Tulu Janapadada Acharane – Scholarly explorations of Tulu literature and customs

Ajji Tankina Puli, Nettara Neera, and Inchitti Tulu Natakolu – Collections of folk narratives and plays

Dr. Nandavara also made remarkable contributions to children's literature, with notable works such as Koti-Chennaya, Beer (Tulu poetry collection), and story anthologies Kidigediya Keetale and Onji Kope Katikulu.

Recognitions and Awards

His deep-rooted research and literary contributions earned him several accolades. His book Tuluvere Kusal-Kusel won the Central Institute of Indian Languages Award, while Singadana Mattu Janapada Suttamutta was recognized by the Kannada and Culture Department. His work Koti Chennaya Janapadiya Adhyayana also received the Book Authority's Pustaka Sogasu award.

Dr. Vamana Nandavara's passing marks a significant loss to the fields of Tulu and Kannada literature. His legacy as a scholar, poet, and folklorist will continue to inspire generations to come.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 10,2025

Many parts of Karnataka, which have been experiencing hot and humid conditions over the past few days, are expected to receive pre-monsoon showers this week.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rainfall over south-interior and coastal Karnataka on March 11 and 12.

According to synoptic observations, an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over the northeast equatorial Indian Ocean and the adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level. Additionally, light to moderate southeasterly winds are prevailing over the State at lower tropospheric levels.

As per the forecast, isolated light rain and thundershowers are likely in Kolar, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chickballapur, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, and Hassan districts in south-interior Karnataka, along with Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in coastal Karnataka on March 11.

On March 12, rainfall activity may extend to Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru as well. However, dry weather is expected to prevail over the rest of the State.

In Bengaluru, temperatures remained high on Sunday, with the city and Kempegowda International Airport recording a maximum of 34.5°C, while the HAL Airport station reported 34.1°C. The minimum temperatures were recorded at 19.7°C, 18.5°C, and 18°C at these respective stations.

Over the next few days, Bengaluru’s maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 34°C and 20°C. The highest-ever temperature recorded in March was 37.3°C in 1996.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
March 10,2025

ranya.jpg

Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya – also known as Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai – was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous Karnataka government in February 2023, said the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) said on Sunday.

Ranya Rao was found to be in possession of gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Searches were also conducted at her residence, and gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore were seized, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had said on Wednesday.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao.

The KIADB's statement comes after reports claimed that a company linked to Ranya Rao was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the board in 2023.

The office of the minister for medium and large industries MB Patil shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya Rao's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district, news agency PTI reported.

The Congress came to power after defeating the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party in the Karnataka assembly election in May 2023.

The proceedings of the Karnataka government, shared by the minister's office, said, "Approval to the proposal of M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for manufacture of 'steel products - TMT bars, rods and allied products' at Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district.

"The government is pleased to accord in-principle approval to the investment proposal of ₹138 crore, generating employment to about 160 persons with the following infrastructure assistances, incentives and concessions," it said.

In a press release issued by MB Patil's office, the KIADB said the allotment to the company linked to Ranjya Rao was done in January 2023.

KIADB CEO Mahesh said on Sunday Ksiroda India was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023, by the previous government, referring to the BJP, the PTI report added.

"The land, located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day, when the last govt was in power," PTI quoted Mahesh as saying.

According to the KIADB press release, the company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of ₹138 crore. The project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs.

Ramachandra Rao is currently serving as the chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The total seizure in the case stood at ₹17.29 crore, including assets worth ₹4.73 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.