Jawaharlal Nehru University might be one of the top universities in the country but BJP leaders do not seem to even like its name. After Hans Raj Hans wanted to rename it to Narendra Modi University last year, it's now the BJP General Secretary CT Ravi who said that it should be renamed after Swami Vivekananda. Students and teachers have condemned his remarks.
Less than a week after PM Modi unveiled a life-sized statue of Swami Vivekananda on campus, Ravi took to Twitter to voice his opinion on renaming the university. "It was Swami Vivekananda who stood for the idea of 'Bharat'. His philosophy and values signify the 'Strength of Bharat'. It is only right that Jawaharlal Nehru University is renamed as Swami Vivekananda University. Life of Bharat's patriotic saint will inspire generations to come," tweeted the BJP leader in-charge of Maharashtra, Goa and Tamil Nadu, known for his controversial remarks.
But why rename a university, why not create a better one? Asked JNU Teachers' Association's (JNUTA) President, Dr Milap Chand Sharma. "Swami Vivekananda was a great man. Nehru too was a follower of the man. Why rename an existing university? They can try and build more universities which are of great quality. Why not build Swami Vivekananda Universities across the country and make sure that they are better than JNU? Why not build world-class universities rather than bringing the Stanfords and Oxfords here?" asked Dr Sharma. "They haven't built one single university that has the same stature as JNU. Even the IIMs and IITs were started around 2007 and is continuing. Instead of renaming existing institutions, the leaders should try and build more universities which will spread good quality education," he added. Calling it a ridiculous attempt to probably distract the teachers and students, JNUTA Secretary Dr Moushumi Basu said that this does not serve any constructive purpose whatsoever, "There are more important issues."
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) might want to spread the values and teachings of Swamiji but they definitely do not want a change in the name of the university, ABVP JNU President Shivam Chaurasia Made it clear. "We are not in favour of any kind of changes. The Swami Vivekananda statue is an honour for the students' community here in JNU and we want to spread the idea of Swamiji among students. This is our sole motto," said Shivam.
