New Delhi: A day after Union minister Prakash Javadekar said that the HRD ministry will not allow Dyal Singh (Evening) College to be renamed as Dyal Singh Vande Mataram College, the institution’s chairman, Amitabh Sinha, said that Delhi University (DU) is an autonomous varsity and the government cannot interfere in its administrative matters.
Addressing a press conference, Mr Sinha said, “The DU is an autonomous university and therefore the government cannot have a say in its administrative matters. The HRD minister should have spoken to me first to know the exact status before making such a statement.”
The said college is affiliated to the Delhi University. On Wednesday, Mr Javadekar said the government would take action against the management committee of the college for going ahead with the renaming process without the ministry’s consent. A controversy had erupted last year with various sections vehemently opposing the move to rename the college as ‘Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya.’
“When the first time I had a meeting with him (Javadekar), I had insisted that the issue be resolved by the vice-chancellor and the governing body. He had shown interest then. We found a midway and named it Vande Mataram Dyal Singh College. I don’t know whether he is under any pressure or arm-twisting tactics,” Mr Sinha said.
The chairman insisted that in renaming the college, its administration had done nothing wrong or outside the law.
“We have done whatever is necessary. Students had put up banners with the new name in an annual function. Though, the Delhi University is yet to take a final decision on it, the governing body (GB) is entirely capable of looking after the administrative duties. If the HRD minister believes a legal action can be taken for this, I welcome such a step,” he added.
Reacting to the comments, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) general secretary, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, termed the statement “a drama only to seek media attention and save his skin from government action.”
