Amid protests over the Mahadayi issue, the much-awaited inaugural function of the newly set up Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Dharwad, scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed.

However, official sources said while the official inauguration had been postponed, classes would begin on August 1, as scheduled earlier.

Even though the official release of Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli only said the event had been postponed owing to “unavoidable circumstances”, the ongoing agitation over Mahadayi issue and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah being away in Brussels are the reasons for postponement, according to sources. Some Kannada organisations have called for a strike on Saturday. Also, there were apprehensions of an agitation during the visit of the Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who was scheduled to inaugurate the IIT, the sources said.