The executive council (EC) of Barkatullah University has approved a proposal to rename it after Vaag Devi (Goddess Saraswati), in recognition of the historical legacy of Raja Bhoj.
The development comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court recognised the Bhojshala complex in Dhar district of the state as a temple of Vaag Devi.
Vice Chancellor SK Jain said a decision in this regard was taken on Thursday adding that the proposal will be sent to the state government for final approval.
Also Read: Dhar’s Bhojshala site is a Saraswati temple, rules Madhya Pradesh high court
For the name change of the 51-year-old university, an amendment bill has to be passed by the assembly and approved by the Governor, according to the procedure.
An executive committee member said that Raja Bhoj’s contributions to education, including Sanskrit schools, symbolise the state’s intellectual and cultural heritage.
“The new name will be dedicated to him and his work for education,” said a member, on the condition of anonymity.
A few faculty members and politicians called it an insult to freedom fighter Barkatullah Bhopali, after whom the university was rechristened in 1988. Barkatullah, born in Bhopal, was a revolutionary and the first Prime Minister of India’s government-in-exile.
{{/usCountry}}A few faculty members and politicians called it an insult to freedom fighter Barkatullah Bhopali, after whom the university was rechristened in 1988. Barkatullah, born in Bhopal, was a revolutionary and the first Prime Minister of India’s government-in-exile.
{{/usCountry}}EC member Tahira Abbasi opposed the change and said it will dishonour Barkatullah’s legacy.
Congress MLA Arif Masood alleged the move aims to erase the contributions of the Muslim community and said, “The decision was more to forget the contribution of Muslim community members than giving respect to legacy. We will protest against it.”
The university, originally established in 1970 as Bhopal University, was renamed in Barkatullah’s memory in 1988.