VIJAYAWADA: Upping ante against politicians using their college premises for the celebration of Ganesh Navarathri Utsavam and Dasara Navaratri, students of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Music and Dance College have decided to organise demonstrations once again to press the authorities to stop issuing permissions for celebrating such events on the college premises.
Students allege that conduct of festivals on the college premises is forcing the college management to stop classes. Extending their solidarity to the students, a few cultural associations have submitted a memorandum to Minister for Language and Culture Bhuma Akhila Priya.
Established in 1960, the college offers certificate and diploma courses in music, veena, violin, mridangam, tabla apart from kuchipudi and bharatanatyam. Due to political interference, the college has lost its priority and the strength of the college has decreased from 1,600 to 740.
A few months ago, a representation was submitted to Governor E S L Narasimhan and Department of Language and Culture director D Vijay Bhaskar over the issue, but in vain.
Koganti Satyanarayana group had applied for permission four months earlier to organise 2017 Ganesh Chaturthi in music college grounds which was opposed by other group led by Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao.
When contacted, Koganti Satyanarayana said that application has been filed on behalf of his Sri Durga Malleswari Ganesh Utsava Samiti first and he is ready to pay the amount. However, some of the ruling party leaders have been threatening the college management not to permit the ground to me, he alleged.
On the other hand, students of the college are evolving plans to take the issue to the notice of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Kodanda Rama Sastry, a student, warned of series of agitations if the State government failed to act swiftly on the issue. Meanwhile, the college management refused to comment on the issue.