JNU names road after VD Savarkar, students call it shameful act

New Delhi: A road in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus has been named after VD Savarkar, which has created a new stir among the varsity communities. Savarkar, was the Hindu nationalist leader known for promoting the philosophy of Hindutva.

The practice of naming roads started some time back during the varsity's executive council meetings. "Decision was taken in 283rd EC meeting held on November 13, 2019," said a statement from the Vice-Chancellor's office.

The same meeting — that took place out of campus — had also decided to hike the hostel fees for students. The other names recorded and proposed in the meeting was of Guru Ravidas Marg; Rani Abbaka Marg; Abdul Hamid Marg; Maharishi Valmiki Marg; Rani Jhansi Marg; Veer Shivaji Marg; Maharana Pratap Marg and Sardar Patel Marg. Other names suggested were — Lokmanya Tilak Marg; Dayanand Saraswati Marg; Gopinath Bordoloi Marg; Gargi Vachaknavi Marg and Dara Shikoh Marg.

JNUSU's student union leader Aishe Ghosh tweeted the picture of the Marg board. "It's a shame to the legacy of JNU that this man's name has been put in this university. Never did the university had space for Savarkar and his stooges and never will it have (sic)," she tweeted. The board is erected adjacent to a signboard showing way to the Subansir hostel in the campus.

Last year in August, ahead of the Delhi University student union polls, DUSU President Shakti Singh had installed statues of Veer Savarkar, Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh outside the gate of the varsity's Arts Faculty in north campus. She had done this without obtaining any permissions.