A massive political storm has broken out in the State following the Barkatullah University (BU) Executive Council’s proposal to rename the 56-year-old institution as ‘Vagdevi Bhojpal University’. The decision has drawn sharp, contrasting reactions from across the political spectrum, escalating into a full-blown ideological battle between opposition leaders, student activists, and local governance heads. Congress Questions Rationale: Is it because he was a Muslim? Slamming the ruling dispensation, Congress Spokesperson Vivek Tripathi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engaging in malicious and regressive name-change politics to hide its administrative failures. “Ever since the BJP came to power, they have focused entirely on renaming landmarks rather than creating anything new,” Tripathi stated. He highlighted the extensive legacy of Abdul Hafiz Mohamed Barkatullah Bhopali, a son of Bhopal who fought for India’s independence from foreign shores, utilising his scholarly writings as weapons against British rule. “To honour his invaluable sacrifices, the MP Government in 1988 renamed Bhopal University as Barkatullah University. Today, the BJP is displaying a distorted mindset by trying to erase his name. We must ask the government: What was his mistake? Was his name erased simply because he was a Muslim?” Tripathi questioned. Tripathi further argued that while any true Sanatani would welcome honouring a deity, the BJP should build new universities for that purpose instead of hijacking old ones.

 

“If you dedicate a name to the Goddess, you should build a new temple of learning, not drape her in old clothes. For over 20 years, the BJP has ruled MP, and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav himself served as the Higher Education Minister for five years, yet they did not change the name then. They don’t have the capability to establish a single new government university, so they resort to renaming tactics to misdirect the youth from raging scandals like Vyapam and the NEET exam mess,” he added. Government to review resolution, Says Higher Education Minister: Weighing in on the escalating controversy after a meeting with the Governor, Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar clarified that the state government is yet to take an official stance on the matter, as the formal proposal has not reached his desk. “The proposal was passed during the university’s Executive Council meeting on Wednesday. That resolution will now be forwarded to the state government and our department, after which we will thoroughly examine it,” Minister Parmar stated. Emphasising the independent nature of academic governance, Parmar added, “Universities are autonomous bodies, and their Executive Councils have the authority to take their own decisions. As of now, this remains strictly a decision of the council.

 

Once the official proposal arrives, we will conduct a holistic study of it, consult with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and then decide on the future course of action.” NSUI stages fierce protests, organises ‘Sadbuddhi Havan’: Meanwhile, the student wing of the Congress party, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), took to the streets to demonstrate against the university administration and the state government. Activists gathered outside the main entrance of Barkatullah University to organise a symbolic “Sadbuddhi Havan” (a ritual for divine wisdom), chanting slogans against the removal of the freedom fighter’s name. NSUI State Vice President Ravi Parmar condemned the decision as a direct assault on Madhya Pradesh’s academic and cultural heritage. “Barkatullah University is a historic and highly prestigious institution of higher learning. Renaming it is not just an insult to the history of our freedom struggle, but a gross injustice to Bhopal’s heritage,” Parmar said. Parmar pointed out that both the university administration and the government are weaponising the renaming issue to dodge accountability. “Instead of addressing rampant institutional corruption, financial irregularities, severe academic delays, and deep-seated student grievances, they are using this name change as a smoke screen to divert public attention from real problems. This decision completely tramples upon the sentiments of students and academicians alike,” the student leader added.