THE TRIBUNEBATHINDA | TUESDAY | 28 NOVEMBER 2017 11NATION
Eminent scholars unite against college renamingSyed Ali
AhmedTribune News Service
NewDelhi, November 27
Eminent scholars and educa-
tionists met here today and
passed a resolution to oppose
tooth and nail the renaming
of Delhi’s Dyal Singh
Evening College as ‘Vande
Mataram College’.
Veteran journalist Kuldip
Nayar, who presided over the
meeting, agreed to take up the
matter with the government as
well as other quarters con-
cerned. The meeting unani-
mously adopted the resolution
that “under no circumstances
would the college’s name be
allowed to change”.
Nayar said they would
decide their future course once
he spoke to various stakehold-
ers. The college’s governing
body recently gave its go-
ahead for rechristening the
institution—the first evening
college of the capital—that was
set up in 1958 and is spread
over around 12 acres.
Paying tribute to the late Dyal
Singh Majithia, after whom the
college is named, the educa-
tionists recalled him as a great
philanthropist who donated his
entire wealth and properties for
establishing educational insti-
tutions. They said the country
should recognise Majithia’s
contribution as a social
reformer. A few of those pres-
ent opined that “some forces
were trying to give communal
colour to the issue, which
should be avoided”.
Among others present were
former Punjabi University
(Patiala) Vice Chancellor Jas-
pal Singh, National Commis-
sion for Minorities ex-Chair-
man Tarlochan Singh,
DSGMC general secretary
Manjinder Singh Sirsa and
senior vice-president
Harmeet Singh Kalka, Dyal
Singh College Teachers Asso-
ciation president Prof PK
Parihar, JNU Prof Bhagwan
Josh, Prof Jagbeer Singh and
Dr Harbans Sagoo.
HC acquits 35 crew of US shipMadurai, November 27
The Madras High Court
today acquitted 35 crew of a
private US ship, who were
convicted by a trial court
last year, for illegally enter-
ing Indian waters with
weapons in 2013.
Allowing their appeal, Jus-
tice M Basheer Ahamed set
aside the lower court’s Jan-
uary 11, 2016 order which
sentenced the crew to five
years rigorous imprison-
ment. The HC held that the
charges against them had
not been proved. The arrest-
ed included 10 Indians.
The lower court in Tuti-
corin had found the crew of
US firm-owned ship “Sea-
man Guard Ohio” guilty of
violating Indian laws by pos-
sessing weapons. — PTI
