Mangaluru : The students of the Kerala Samajam English School, locals and some members of Hindu outfits has opposed the foundation laying ceremony of Azad Community Bhavan in Pandeshwar on Saturday Dec 13.

The Adhi Dravaida Samaja community members too had requested the government to allot the land to them which will be used for activities of the community and also to build a community centre. In this direction the members had also submitted memorandum to the then Chief Minister through the then Deputy Commissioner on April 5, 2009 and March 26, 2013 demanding for the land, but it yielded no result.

This land is being used as playground, the district administration needs to obtain no obejction certificate (NOC) from the MCC, but in this case the administration never approached the MCC. The government also sanctioned Rs one crore for the Minority Bhavan. Before taking any step, said corporator Diwakar.

The students as part of the protest even began playing in the ground. The protestors expressed their anguish at the decision of the administration to hand over the land to the Wakf Board despite the Kerala Samajam School using it as a playground and despite its appeal to the DC to provide the land to the school for playground purposes.

However district incharge minister Ramanath Rai formally foundation laid in presence of MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ivan D’Souza , deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim.