Ex-Dy Speaker questions Harsimrat’s silence on issue

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 23

Former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh today questioned the silence maintained by Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal over the issue of renaming of Dyal Singh Evening College, Delhi.

Bir Devinder Singh supported the initiative of Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Manjit Singh GK, leaders of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, to logically and forcefully oppose the decision of the management of Dyal Singh Evening College, Delhi, to rename it as Vande Mataram Mahavidyalaya.

“It’s more than a week now since this controversy erupted, but the silence of Harsimrat on this significant issue is baffling. I wonder, why Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is otherwise quite vocal on such issues, has not come forward boldly so far to stall the baleful move of the Management of Dyal Singh Evening College, Delhi, to  change its original name,” he said.

“The entire leadership of the DGPC and the SGPC and other Sikh organisations are up in arms against the menacing move of the parochial mindset to demolish the name of the founder of the collage Dyal Singh Majithia a legendary philanthropist and educationist of ‘exalted eminence’, who made monumental contribution to promote the cause of education and quality learning,” he said.

“Harsimrat should lead a delegation of Punjab MPs, MLAs and DSGMC and SGPC members and discuss the matter with HRD Minister Parkash Javedkar to seek his effective intervention in the matter.

“The Ministry of HRD could immediately send an advisory to the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University to reject the proposal of the management committee of Dyal Singh Evening College to change its name in deference to the sentiments of the entire Sikh community, a significant minority of the country,” he opined in a release issued here.