Withdraw college renaming move in 3 days: DSGMC

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 19

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has warned that the renaming of Dyal Singh College as Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya would be opposed tooth and nail and protests would be held, if needed.

In Amritsar, SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar said, “I ask the college management to review its decision as changing its name will destroy its historic significance besides negating the legacy of Dyal Singh Majithia, after whom the college was named.”

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The DSGMC passed a resolution condemning the act of the Dyal Singh College governing body and asked it to withdraw the move in three days or they would be forced to launch an agitation, said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, general secretary of the body.

Sirsa and former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities Tarlochan Singh said the Dyal Singh Education Trust Society had purchased land for the college without getting any help from the government. They said the governing body of the college was now trying to usurp the college property by renaming it. They were welcome to open Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya, but not on this property, they added.

Meanwhile, many students have expressed dissatisfaction over the proposal that the new regular-shift college will continue on the same premises. The premises lacks required infrastructure, they say. 

The NSUI, student wing of the Congress, said they were gearing up for a protest against the renaming of the college. The same college is being used for morning and evening shifts. The governing body should first improve basic facilities there.

According to ABVP, this is the not the first evening college whose name has been changed. Earlier, the name of Deshbandhu College (evening) shift was changed to Ramanujan College and that of Ram Lal Anand Evening College to Aryabhatta. “But I agree with the students that basic facilities should be improved.”

(With inputs from GS Paul)