Students accuse DU college of changing theatre society's Urdu name, principal denies charge

Students of Delhi University's Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College have accused the college administration of forcibly changing the name of its theatre society as it was in Urdu, a charge rejected by the authorities.

The students alleged that the theatre society, which was called "Ilhaam" (revelation), has been renamed as "Aarambh", which translates into "the beginning".

However, principal R N Dubey dismissed the charge and described it as "political vendetta" against him.

A member of the theatre group said a few weeks ago, a college official informed them that the name "Ilhaam" was not acceptable to the management and that they should change it.

The student, who requested anonymity, alleged that the college threatened to freeze the funds of the theatre society if the members did not agree to change its name.

"Initially, the members of the society were against it, but we were told that we would be marked absent if the name was not changed. The students got scared and agreed," he said.

However, the principal denied the allegation.

"I have not asked anyone to change the name of the society. There is a proper procedure to name any society and it is quite independent. I think it is some kind of a political vendetta against me," he told PTI over the phone on Tuesday.

Echoing the students' sentiments, an alumnus of the college, who was among the founding members of the theatre society, said this is not the first time that such an attempt to rechristen the society has been made.

"Some of my juniors told me that they have changed the name of the society, fearing that they would be marked absent and the funds of the society would be frozen," Ali Faraz Rezvi, who graduated from the college this year, said.

"When I was a student in the college, similar threats were given to us as well. I was at a meeting where the principal asked us to change the name of the society," he said.