Renaming Dyal Singh College will hurt Sikhs' sentiments: Harsimrat Badal

Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday downplayed the decision of the management of Dyal Singh College to rename the college as "Vande Mataram College", adding that it would hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.

Speaking to ANI, Badal said, "I am totally shocked on what the chairman (Amitabh Sinha) and the committee is doing. Despite assurances given by Human Resource Development Minister (Prakash Javadekar), making it clear that there would be no question of the college being renamed, the man has the audacity to hold an annual programme (on April 25) with a banner bearing the changed name 'Vande Mataram College'. I have raised the issue with the ministers. Due action should be taken soon. I do not know where is he deriving strength to do these things."

She asserted that the renaming of the Dyal Singh College would lead to creating disharmony and troubles in the society.

Adding that the management was fiddling with the legacy of the founder Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, Badal added, "The government would not tolerate at all. On one hand, we talk of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and on the other hand, the minority community is being targetted. Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia gave up his money for the welfare of the nation. He did not give money to his friends, family and anybody else. Many colleges are still running under his name in Pakistan."

She disclosed that the land on which the college stands today is still in the name of Dyal Singh College Trust Society.

Pressing for the college management to be sacked immediately, Badal further said, "What he must be doing to the students if he behaves like this in public life. I request the government to immediately sack such people as they do not have such business of running educational institutions on their own will."

Earlier on Tuesday, Javadekar said that the Dyal Singh College will not be changed neither will any permission be given for name change.

"I want to clarify that the name of Dyal Singh College will not be changed neither will any permission be given for name change. The efforts in this direction by the management committee (of the college) will invite strict action," he told ANI.

Last year, the management of Dyal Singh College had renamed the college as "Vande Mataram College", triggering a nationwide controversy.

The college's origin arose from the estate of Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, the 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 in 1947, Dyal Singh College was established in Karnal and Delhi.

(ANI)