Oppose name change: Punjab youth Congress prez to RGNUL chancellor

Patiala: Punjab Youth Congress president Mohit Mohindra on Tuesday wrote an open letter to the chief justice of Punjab & Haryana high court, who also holds the position of chancellor at Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), urging him not to entertain a recommendation to change the university's name, in Patiala.Mohindra opposed the recent recommendation of the university's Academic Council to rename RGNUL as ‘National Law University,' omitting the name of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and said it would set a wrong and dangerous precedent. In the letter, Mohindra said the proposal appeared to be politically motivated rather than administrative. He stated that RGNUL was established through an Act passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 2006, and said the name was defined under the statute. "Are we questioning the collective wisdom of the lawmakers who drafted and passed the Act back then? More importantly, why are we doing it? What is the main objective behind this move? At a time when society faces serious economic and governance challenges, how can renaming an established university be a priority," he stated.
Mohindra told the chancellor that the Academic and Executive Council should instead focus on issues such as NAAC accreditation for the university, which has been pending since 2020, and improving the university's NIRF rankings, which he described as mandatory functions, rather than engaging in renaming exercises that did not fall under their ambit. He said the university functioned for nearly two decades with bipartisan support and earned national and international recognition under its existing brand name. He asked, "What about the university's logo that is patented, degrees, alumni network, and about 3,000 graduates since its inception who carry the institution's established identity. What happens to that legacy?"Referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mohindra said his leadership ushered in a telecom revolution and youth empowerment through lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years. "Erasing his name from an institution of higher learning reflects disregard for a visionary leader who transformed India. What message are we sending? That institutional identity can change with shifting political winds? That our history and legacy hold no significance?" he remarked. Mohindra urged the chancellor to reject the recommendation and protect the institutional stability, legal sanctity, and historical legacy of RGNUL MSID:: 128976669 413 | Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !