Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar says the state government will review the proposal to rename Barkatullah University before taking a final decision.
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government will review a proposal to rename Barkatullah University after the university’s Executive Council recommended changing its name to “Vagdevi Bhojpal University”.
The proposal has started a political debate in the state. The Congress has opposed the move and said the name of freedom fighter Barkatullah Bhopali should be retained.
Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said the proposal had been passed by the university’s Executive Council and would be examined after it reaches the state government.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Governor Mangubhai Patel on Thursday, Parmar said the government would study the proposal carefully before making a decision.
“The proposal has not yet reached our department. We will study it in detail and discuss it with the Chief Minister before taking any decision,” Inder Singh Parmar said.
The minister said universities are autonomous institutions and their Executive Councils are free to make recommendations. He added that the government would take a final call only after reviewing all aspects of the proposal.
Congress MLA Arif Masood criticised the recommendation and said the government should not change the name of a university that has carried Barkatullah’s name for nearly 38 years.
Congress MLA Arif Masood
Masood said the state could set up a new university in the name of Vagdevi instead of renaming an existing institution.
He also said he had sought time to meet Governor Mangubhai Patel and would place his concerns before him.
The Congress leader said Barkatullah Bhopali was an important freedom fighter who worked against British rule and made a significant contribution to India’s independence movement.
The state government has not taken a final decision on the proposal. Officials said the matter would be considered only after the recommendation is formally received and reviewed.
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Kishan Singh Rana is a Bhopal-based journalist and Senior Correspondent covering Madhya Pradesh politics, governance, infrastructure and public policy. With over five years of experience in digital and print media, he reports on civic issues, administration and development stories across the state.
