New Delhi: Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday termed renaming of Dyal Singh College (Evening) as unbelievable and shocking.
The evening college was recently turned into a day college in July this year and renamed as Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya on November 17.
Talking to ANI, Badal said, “It is unacceptable and shocking. The person who is so keen to change name must change his own name. He can put all his wealth to create something and give it whatever name he wants.”
She further questioned: How can you take away legacy of someone else?
The Union Minister of Food Processing further added that even the contribution of Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia so how could India forget his contribution.
“Even in Pakistan, they’ve recognised contribution of Sardar Deen Dyal Singh Majithia and colleges are being run on his name,” Badal asserted.
Even, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has opposed the move.
“Strongly oppose renaming of Dyal Singh College as #vandemataramcollege. Founder Dyal Singh Majithia was a progressive visionary. We should preserve his great legacy instead of indulging in petty name changing games,” Captain Amarinder tweeted.
However, the college administration has said there won’t be any backtracking on renaming decision.
The college’s origin arose from the estate of Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, founder of The Tribune and Punjab National Bank, who willed his estate in 1895 for the establishment of an educational trust for a secular college. Consequently, Dyal Singh College was established at Lahore in 1910. After the Partition of India, Dyal Singh College was established in Karnal and Delhi.
It started functioning in the capital as a constituent college of the University of Delhi in 1959 and was taken over by the University of Delhi as a university maintained institution in 1978.
ANI