‘Name it after Dr Manmohan Singh’: Congress’ demand on new DU college to be named aft
‘Name it after Dr Manmohan Singh’: Congress’ demand on new DU college to be named after Veer Savarkar
M.U.H
03/01/202533
Congress’ student wing, National Students' Union of India (NSUI), demanded the new Delhi University college whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, be named after former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away last year. The Congress stalwart is credited for steering India’s economy towards liberalisation, and his several landmark policies.
In a letter penned to PM Modi, NSUI National President Varun Choudhary said that the new college, if named under Manmohan Singh, would be a “fitting tribute to his legacy”.
“Dr Singh's monumental contributions include the Central Universities Act, 2009, RTE Act 2009 established IITs, IlMs, AlIMS, and a network of central universities across India. These initiatives revolutionised the nation's education system, benefiting millions,” he said in the letter.
NSUI demanded a “world-class college” under DU, named after Dr Manmohan Singh, establishment of a central university dedicated to his name, and inclusion of his life, beginning as a “post-Partition student to a global icon” in academic curricula and political sphere.
“Dr Singh's legacy as a scholar, economist, and public servant embodies resilience, merit, and dedication to public welfare. Naming institutions after him will inspire generations and honor his transformative vision. The government must act immediately to recognise his unparalleled contributions to India,” said the student body president.
Meanwhile, BJP, defending its decision to name the college after Savarkar. "Only the Congress knows which leaders it respects. Veer Savarkar was a freedom fighter. If Delhi University is naming its college in his honour, then we welcome it," Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone of multiple projects in Delhi, including three in Delhi University worth over Rs 600 crore. Apart from the state-of-the-art Veer Savarkar College at Roshanpura, Najafgarh, PM Modi also laid the foundation of Eastern Campus at Surajmal Vihar in East Delhi and Western Campus at Dwarka.
The decision to establish the new college in DU was approved in 2021 by the Delhi University's executive council. Veer Savarkar college would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 140 crore.
