Renaming of Bengaluru City University after Manmohan Singh draws mixed reactions
The varsity, based out of the iconic Central College campus, will be renamed as Dr
Bengaluru City University, following a cabinet decision last week.
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The decision to rename the university was first announced by chief minister Siddaramaiah during the budget session of the Karnataka legislative assembly in March this year.
Former minister for primary education, S Suresh Kumar opined that the govt should have responded to local sentiments. "Dr Singh gave a positive turn to our economy and we are grateful to him," he said, while suggesting Dr H Narasimhaiah as an alternative.
"Dr HN was one of the greatest sons of the soil, especially in academia. He was the vice-chancellor of BU and established the Jananbharathi campus. Coming from a poor rural background, he went on to earn a doctorate in the US," Kumar said.
The BJP MLA said the party is yet to discuss this move and come out with an official plan of action.
The National Students' Union of India – the student wing of the Congress party, has already stepped up, according to its BCU president Lakshya Raj V.
"We welcomed the renaming when it was first announced in March, and have renamed our social media handles already," he said.
He also stated NSUI would protest against any opposition to the renaming. "If met with resistance, we will make sure to erect a new name-board ourselves without waiting for the university to do it," he said.
Prof BR Supreeth, a member of the university syndicate, said he was sceptical of the name change.
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"A separate academic centre bearing Dr Singh's name could have been established. Bengaluru itself has got a brand value," he said. The academician also expressed concern for any problems the students might face due to renaming, especially in foreign countries, adding the name of the university was changed thrice in the last eight years.
"My request to the govt is to not politicise this. Politics should be kept away from education sector," he said.
Senior scholar and retired professor Dr G Ramakrishna strongly opposed the move and stressed that he is against naming universities after individuals. Well-known among the progressive intellectual circles in the state, he also lamented that anyone opposing the renaming would now be attributed with political motives, leading to a controversy.
The university's first vice-chancellor Prof S Japhet said the govt, through this decision, has expressed gratitude to Dr Singh on behalf of all Kannadigas.
"The university is special in terms of its location and jurisdiction, apart from its rich legacy. BCU is probably India's only university with affiliated colleges within a city's boundaries. This was the reason it was renamed Bengaluru City University," he said, adding there are 23 'city universities' across the globe.
"BCU was rebranded on that line," he said.
Prof Japhet took over as a special officer, and later as vice-chancellor of Bengaluru Central University, following trifurcation of Bangalore University in 2017. The university was renamed Bengaluru City University during his tenure.
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