RGNUL council recommends dropping Rajiv Gandhi’s name, triggers political debate

Patiala: The academic council of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) has passed a resolution recommending that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's name be dropped from the university's title and the institution be renamed National Law University. The Dec 8 resolution has been forwarded to the executive council and Punjab govt, which will take the final call.University registrar Ivneet Kaur said the proposal was intended to "neutralize historical sensitivities" while retaining the university's national character and academic reputation. She maintained that the academic council was empowered to make such recommendations.
The move has triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leaders alleged that the push to rename the university was politically driven in the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections.Congress MP from Patiala Dr Dharamvira Gandhi condemned the recommendation, calling it "a low-level political maneuver designed to polarize voters." He said institutions established during the tenures of leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi symbolised nation-building and social progress. Accusing ideological groups of attempting to "rewrite history," he warned that politically motivated name changes diverted attention from pressing issues such as unemployment, education reform and healthcare, and risked diluting institutional legacy.The demand for renaming first surfaced in Nov last year when the student union called for removing Rajiv Gandhi's name. Punjab Vidyarthi Parishad (PVP) leaders submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister seeking the renaming of central and state institutions bearing the names of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The group cited "painful memories" associated with 1984 and called for names reflecting Sikh heritage. Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj also demanded RGNUL's renaming, terming the continued use of Rajiv Gandhi's name an "insult to Sikhs." Sikh student groups later held protests outside the university campus.Established under Punjab Act No. 12 of 2006, RGNUL functions as an autonomous national law university recognised by the UGC and the Bar Council of India. Spread across a 50-acre campus in Sidhuwal near Patiala, it is one of the leading law institutions in northern India.