Scores of students and parents protested at Varuna in Mysuru taluk on December 6. They want to save two government schools from being merged with Karnataka Public Schools (KPS). The protest was led by the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), which opposes the policy. The schools at risk are the Government Higher Primary Schools in Puttegowdanahundi and Hosahundi villages. Both villages are in the Varuna Assembly constituency, represented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. AIDSO activists pointed out the irony that schools here face closure threats despite this. AIDSO District Secretary Nitin said, "The government, under the guise of the KPS-Magnet scheme, is claiming to establish one government school per gram panchayat and moving towards closing over 40,000 government schools in the State." He added the government plans to upgrade Varakodu Government Higher Primary School to a KPS and merge the Puttegowdanahundi and Hosahundi schools into it, effectively closing them. Mr. Nitin expressed concern, stating these two schools have 91 students, mainly children of farmers and labourers. In Mysuru district, 1,662 government schools face similar merger threats. Villagers said the new building for the Puttegowdanahundi school was recently inaugurated. They refuse to send their children to Varakodu school as it is six kilometres away. A parent said, "The village school was built on land donated by a philanthropist and hence, the local community has an emotional connection with it." Villagers warned they will never allow the school to be handed over to self-help groups. They threaten a massive protest if the school is closed.