Patiala: Tensions flared as members of Misal Satluj, led by its youth wing president Yadvinder Singh “Yadu Alal”, on Monday staged a protest demonstration outside the Punjab legislative assembly in Chandigarh, demanding the immediate removal of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the Patiala-based Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL).Yadu Alal expressed frustration over the Punjab govt’s perceived inaction. He said the university’s academic council had already forwarded a proposal to the state govt to rename the institution, but the matter remained unaddressed during the recently concluded 10-day session of the Punjab assembly.“The entire session was wasted in a political blame game instead of addressing a matter of historical justice,” said Yadu Alal.Misal Satluj — a socio-political organisation — argued that naming a premier law university after Rajiv Gandhi was an “insult” to the Sikh community. Yadu Alal cited Rajiv Gandhi’s 1984 statement — “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes” — to support the argument.The statement is viewed by many as a justification for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.Harjit Singh Khizrabad, another Misal Satluj leader, said linking a law school to such controversy mocked the very essence of the justice system it taught.Notably, in December last year, the RGNUL academic council officially approved a proposal to rename the institution as “National Law University, Punjab”, with the administration stating that the move aimed to align with the nomenclature of other elite National Law Universities across India.Misal Satluj and various Sikh student unions have long campaigned for the name change. However, for the name change to become official, the Punjab govt must pass an amendment to the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab Act, 2006.The move has faced resistance from Congress leaders, with Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi dismissing the proposal as a “low-level political maneuver” designed to polarise voters ahead of the upcoming elections The Patiala MP last month argued that the university was founded with a vision of scientific temper and national progress that should not be erased, and claimed the govt and university authorities were using the issue to distract people from concerns such as unemployment, environmental degradation and the university’s pending NAAC accreditation.He also alleged a “collusion” between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP to systematically erase the Congress party’s historical contributions.Misal Satluj, meanwhile, vowed to continue its struggle until Rajiv Gandhi’s name was removed from all public institutions.MSID:: 129612168 413 |
