Dyal Singh College renamed, quietly

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 1 

The management of Dyal Singh College (Evening) has quietly renamed the college, putting up banners of “Vande Mataram Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi” at the annual prize distribution function on April 25. Attempts to contact college governing body chairman Amitabh Sinha proved futile. 

A controversy had erupted last year with various sections vehemently opposing the move to rename the college. Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, who founded The Tribune Trust (1881) and Punjab National Bank (1894), also set up an education trust. Dyal Singh College was born out of that trust. 

Established in Lahore in 1910, the college building still stands there in the name of Government Dyal Singh College. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had last year announced in Parliament that the college renaming was not the Centre’s decision.

“We have asked that the decision be withheld forthwith and an immediate meeting be convened,” he had said, adding that Delhi University, with which the college is affiliated, too had been informed.

On Tuesday, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa issued a statement that read: “The Sikh community is shocked at the intrigues of Dyal Singh College chairman Amitabh Sinha and Delhi University VC Yogesh Tyagi, who have connived to change the college name to Vande Mataram Dyal Singh College.”

That this had happened despite Javadekar's categorical assurance to Parliament, showed Sinha and Tyagi had scant regard for the Union Government, he claimed. He demanded that both be sacked for playing with the sentiments of the minority community at a time when the PM was assuring the nation that the Centre would take all communities along.

Sirsa said they would consider all options, including legal, to ensure that the original name of the college was restored.