MIC urges Universiti Malaya to maintain its Indian Studies dept's name

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 29 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress chief S. Samy Vellu has urged Universiti Malaya's vice-chancellor Ghauth Jasmon not to change the name of university's Indian Studies Department.

"He has to listen to the views of the Indian community. Tamil is our life," he said when asked to comment on Ghauth's statement over renaming the department to Indian and South Asian Studies department.Ghauth had reportedly said that although the name of the department would be changed, its programmes would be maintained."We will not accept any changes to the Indian Studies Department because it was the Indians who contributed to the department's existence and it is also our pride," the New Strait Times quoted Samy Vellu, as saying. He said he was informed by Human Resources Minister Dr. S. Subramaniam that the cabinet has agreed to maintain the during a recent Cabinet meeting."It has been agreed by the Cabinet. So, there must not be any change in the name," Samy Vellu said.He noted that the ISD was created from money collected from Indian estate workers in the early 1950s under the "Save Tamil Fund.""The department has many historical values for the Indian community. Changing its name would mean showing disrespect to the Indian community," he added. (ANI)