Patna University's historic Wheeler Senate House renamed after Jayaprakash Narayan
Patna (PTI): The historic Wheeler Senate House of the Patna University has been renamed 'Jayaprakash Narayan Anushad Bhawan' after socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan.
The 97-year-old senate house shed its British-era name days before Patna University (PU) completed 106 years. Located between the banks of the Ganga and the old Ashok Rajpath, the university was established on October 1, 1917.
A ceremony to mark the 106th anniversary of the university was held at the capacious senate hall on Sunday, during which gold medals were presented to various department toppers.
The charming senate house with Doric columns framing its entrance was inaugurated on March 20, 1926 by the then governor of Bihar and Orissa province and Patna University chancellor Sir Henry Wheeler.
It was built using a generous endowment from Raja Devakinandan Prashad Singh of Monghyr (now Munger in Bihar). Sir Henry Wheeler had laid its foundation stone in 1925, according to archival records.
This iconic landmark in Patna has been a venue for many historic events since its opening.
The old senate house has hosted innumerable convocation ceremonies of PU, senate meetings, opening session of the Indian Science Congress in 1933 and several annual general meetings of the Bihar and Orissa Research Society (later Bihar Research Society) in the 1920s and 1930s, among other key events.
Traditionally, PU Foundation Day ceremonies have been hosted at this venue.
Days before the 106th anniversary of the university, a new plaque was installed on the right side of the senate house's facade stating that it has been renamed after Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as 'JP', a Patna University official said.
As guests streamed in on Sunday and walked through the hallowed portals of the refurbished senate house, not many noticed the new plaque.
The plaque, with the university emblem at the top, reads: "Patna University - on September 13, 2023, after approval by Bihar Governor-cum-Chancellor Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Wheeler Senate House has been renamed 'Jayaprakash Narayan Anushad Bhawan'...".
The senate house building has been refurbished. A sum of Rs 2.84 crore was sanctioned for this earlier, officials said.
Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on September 5 unveiled a plaque embedded on the left side of the facade of the senate house to commemorate the reopening of the renovated hall.
In his address on the occasion, Arlekar had suggested renaming the Wheeler Senate House, saying it was a colonial-era name.
Speaking about Rabindranath Tagore's visit to the Wheeler Senate House in March 1936, the governor had suggested that the hall could be named after the Nobel laureate.
"There is a need to think over it. (Patna) University people should definitely consider this. I am ready for this," he had said.
Days later, "emergency meetings" of the university's Academic Council and the Syndicate were convened and a "proposal to rename" the Wheeler Senate House was cleared. The proposal was then sent to the governor, who is also the university's chancellor, for approval, sources said.
The renaming of the iconic landmark, however, was not welcomed by all.
Patna University alumnus Shanker Dutt said it is "disappointing" that the identity of a historic place like Wheeler Senate House has been "altered".
"What renaming does, more so of a public building like Wheeler Senate House, is that it takes away the point of reference in history when seen retrospectively. The building has hosted a plethora of historic events during its journey and proceedings, documents and photographs associated with it will describe the venue as Wheeler Senate House," he said.
"So, would we now say that Tagore visited the 'JP Senate House' in 1936," asked Dutt, who also taught for several decades at the university.
Many other scholars, including a former vice-chancellor of Patna University who did not wish to be named, said the renaming was "not needed" and would "create confusion" among people.
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Modi govt's 'calibrated erosion' of EC's integrity: Kharge on election rule
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the government for tweaking an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents, alleging it is part of the Modi government's "systematic conspiracy" to destroy the institutional integrity of the Election Commission.
Kharge also said the Modi government's "calibrated erosion" of the ECI's integrity is a frontal attack on the Constitution and democracy.
The government has tweaked an election rule to prevent public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage as well as video recordings of candidates to prevent their misuse.
Based on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Union law ministry on Friday amended Rule 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to restrict the type of "papers" or documents open to public inspection.
Reacting to the development, Kharge said, "Modi government's audacious amendment in the Conduct of Election Rules is another assault in its systematic conspiracy to destroy the institutional integrity of the Election Commission of India." "Earlier, they had removed the Chief Justice of India from the Selection panel which appoints Election Commissioners, and now they have resorted to stonewall electoral information, even after a High Court order," he said in a post on X.
Everytime the Congress party wrote to the ECI, regarding specific poll irregularities such as voter deletions and lack of transparency in EVMs, the ECI has responded in a condescending tone and chosen not to even acknowledge certain serious complaints, Kharge said.
"This again proves that the ECI, even though it is a quasi-judicial body, is not behaving independently," he said.
"The Modi government's calibrated erosion of ECI's integrity is a frontal attack on the Constitution and Democracy and we will take every step to safeguard them," Kharge said.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had said the party would legally challenge the amendment.
Lok Sabha MP and Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the poll panel had chosen opacity and a pro-government attitude in its dealings thus far.
According to Rule 93, all "papers" related to elections shall be open to public inspection.
The amendment inserts "as specified in these rules" after "papers".
Law ministry and ECI officials separately explained that a court case was the "trigger" behind the amendment.
While documents such as nomination forms, appointment of election agents, results and election account statements are mentioned in the Conduct of Election Rules, electronic documents such as CCTV camera footage, webcasting footage and video recording of candidates during the Model Code of Conduct period are not covered.
"CCTV coverage, webcasting of polling stations are not carried out under Conduct of Election Rules but are the result of steps taken by the ECI to ensure a level playing field," a former ECI official explained.
