Just days after taking charge as the registrar of University of Mysore, R Rajanna, has landed in a soup for allegedly removing Ambedkar’s portrait from his office.

According to a report in The New Indian Express, Rajanna invited the ire of the workers of Dalit Students Forum on Wednesday, who alleged that he removed the portrait from his chamber in Crawford Hall soon after he assumed office.

The students shouted angry slogans against the registrar and blocked his way on Wednesday morning. However, Rajanna claimed that the portrait was removed for the purpose of dusting it. The portrait has been hung back on the wall, Rajanna said, which did little to pacify the angry protesters.

They alleged that Rajanna hung the portrait back after coming to know about the protest. Rajanna told TNIE that vested interests were behind the protest. He said that he had denied permission to some Dalit organisations to hold a book release - ‘ABVP Bhayothpadane’ (ABVP terrorism)- on campus recently.  

Rajanna assumed office after the former registrar C. Basavaraju was suspended in connection with misappropriation in the appointment of professors.