A day after Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Government would not allow the renaming of Dyal Singh Evening College, chairman of Governing Body (GB) of the college Amitabh Sinha said the Government cannot interfere in the administrative matters of Delhi University (DU) as it is an autonomous university. He asserted that the change in name of Dyal Singh College (evening) to Vande Matram Dyal Singh College was within the
law.
Amid the row over alleged renaming of the Dyal Singh (Evening) College as Vande Matram Dyal Singh College, Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said that the Government would not allow the renaming of Dyal Singh College and take action against the management committee of the college for going ahead with it without the Ministry's consent.
"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," said Sinha, addressing a Press conference. Sinha virtually threw a challenge to the Centre saying "any legal action on the move is welcome".
"When I met the Minister, I had insisted that the issue be resolved by the Vice -Chancellor and the Governing Body and he had shown interest then. We found a middle path and named it Vande Mataram Dyal Singh College. I don't know whether he is under some pressure or some arm-twisting tactics," he said.
A controversy had erupted last year with various sections vehemently opposing the move to rename the college as "Vanade Matram Mahavidyalaya". 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 and if the HRD minister believes a legal action can be taken for that then I welcome such a step," he added.
The Minister's comments came after reports that the management had quietly renamed the college while banners of 'Vande Mataram Dyal Singh College' were put up too.
Javadekar said on Wednesday, "We had earlier also asked them (the university administration) to reconsider the move. We will not allow the college to be renamed. If there are two Dyal Singh colleges, they can call them A and B or 1 and 2 to differentiate but the original.
The Delhi University (DU) through a Press release on Wednesday evening clarified that the university has not changed the name of Dyal Singh (Evening) College and there are misleading reports in the media about it.