Gadchiroli Jan. 20 (District Correspondent) Many eminent academicians, litterateurs and intellectual personalities in the region have raised questions over Gondwana University senate’s decision to name the University Hall after RSS activist Dattaji Didolkar.
Senior academician and former Dean of RSTM Nagpur University Dr. Pramod Munghate has asked the direct question as to ‘Who is Didolkar and what is his connection with the Gondwana University?
Due to this decision a sense of anger has arisen among the common people of this area because the people of Chandrapur Gadchiroli district do not know who Didolkar is. While there are many public leaders who have done educational, social and cultural work in this area, how Didolkar’s name was given to the hall, he has asked.
The university senate has got the powers to take such unilateral decisions by defying public sentiment due to the ‘Public Universities Act’ of 2016. Democratic principles have no place in this Act, Dr. munghate has pointed out.
This is what happened in the case of ‘Dattaji Didolkar’ Hall of Gondwan University, Gadchiroli. In fact, in all the universities of Maharashtra, the dominance of one party and one ideology is seen today, Dr. Munghate has pointed out. There is a tendency to implement one’s own religious, political and narrow cultural policies, regardless of what the needs of a region or the people are, Munghate has said.
PRABHU RAJGADKAR—Well known litterateur Prabhu Rajgadkar has also expressed his strong resentment over the senate decision asking ‘what is going on in the Gondwana University?
What is the relationship of this Dattaji Didolkar with Gadchiroli district? Only because he is the founder of ABVP, this is a commendable attempt is being made and the name is enforced on the Bahujans, he has said.
When here are many respected leaders like Baburaoji Madavi, who played a significant role in the creation of Gadchiroli district, Shaheed Baburao Shedmake, who laid down his life in the freedom struggle, former MLA Sukhdevbabu Uike, Raje Visveshwarao Maharaj, Govindrao Munghate, Rameshchandra Munghate and many others, giving the name of Didolkar does not suit the university, Rajgadkar has pointed out.
This arbitrary decision must be withdrawn immediately, he has demanded.
KUSUM ALAM—Noted poetess and tribal activist Kusum alam has said the Gondwana University itself has failed in the exam.
The people of Gadchiroli district are wonder tucked over the name of Didolkar. A hegemonic ideology is gaining ground in this country in the recent times. The government is working to dominate the people in an arbitrary and hidden way with the force of the majority. This is what was done in Gondwana University by enforcing Didolkar’s name to the hall. However, the academics, journalists, writers, social workers, various organizations came together and protested against those senate members of the university. It means that this university has failed, she has stated.
This university was not created to enforce any ideology. Nor was it started to erect a grand structure. It was aimed that this university should become a public university. This university should have the passion for new discoveries, new concepts and building a beautiful nation for public interest. But that is not happening here, Alam has said. The work of Baburaoji Madavi should be studied there and the public movement launched by him should have been carried forward, she added.
