Jamia justifies naming building after Arjun, Minister keeps mum

New Delhi, May 3 (UNI) The Jamia Millia Islamia University today justified naming one of its buildings and a campus road after Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh while the Minister parried questions on the issue.

''Ask the Jamia people,'' was the brief reply of Mr Singh when asked about the issue.

Mr Singh kept mum when further asked if his consent was taken before naming the building.

UGC Chairperson Prof Sukhdev Thorat will inaugurate the 'Arjun Singh Centre for Distance and Open Learning' on the university campus tomorrow.

Mr Singh will also be on the campus, but to inaugurate the Naom Chomsky complex.

Besides the Distance learning Centre, a road has also been named after the Minister. Called 'Shahra-i-Arjun Singh', the road leads to Mujib Bagh Teachers' Housing Complex.

The road will be inaugurated by Prof M Rais Khan, president of the Jamia Teachers' Association.

A spokesperson for the university justified naming the Distance learning Centre and the road after Mr Arjun Singh, saying it was a way of showing gratitude to the Minister for his unstinting support and help to the university.

After taking over as Minister, Mr Arjun Singh had announced a one time grant of Rs 40 crore for the university and the Ministry helped the university in setting up 13 research centres in the last three years.

UNI