New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Dismissing the opposition against the renaming of Dyal Singh College (Evening), the Chairman of the institution said there wasn’t anything illegal about it and that there couldn’t be a better name than Vande Mataram.

The General Body of Dyal Singh College (DSC) on November 17 decided to change the evening college’s name to Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya after turning it into a day college.

“This decision of renaming the college was passed unanimously by the whole governing body. There is nothing legally or ethically wrong about it… Couldn’t be a better name than Vande Mataram,” College Chairman Amitabh Sinha told media here.

Noting that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal asked for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the matter, Sinha invited the politician to “come ahead and debate on a neutral forum”.

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday filed a police complaint against the college’s Principal and Chairman over the name change.

The Congress’ student wing NSUI criticised the move, saying the governing board should have focused on improving the college infrastructure rather than changing its name.

“There have been attempts to create a misunderstanding between different communities in addressing Dyal Singh as a Sikh or Punjabi,” said Sinha, adding that he was a nationalist.

“Vande Mataram is not just any other name. It’s a clarion call to nationalism.”

“I am ready to sacrifice anything for it. If anybody has any problem with it, come speak with me individually. Convince me I am wrong otherwise why should I change the decision?”

Set up in 1958, the college was named after Dyal Singh Majithia, who established The Tribune newspaper in Lahore in 1881, and was also the founder chairman of the Punjab National Bank established in 1894.

–IANS
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