Punjab govt scraps controversial act to save 125-year-old college

In a cabinet meeting chaired by the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, a decision was taken to scrap the Khalsa University Act, 2016.

Chandigarh, April 19: Opposing the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government who passed the Khalsa University Act, 2016, Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government on Wednesday came tough on the opposition and has scrapped their move.

The decision was taken during the cabinet meet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to protect the legacy of Khalsa College which has the heritage status in the country.

According to reports, the cabinet termed the Act as 'appalling' as the Khalsa College society too had agreed to convert the institution into a University.

The cabinet said that the previous government Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party passed the Khalsa University Act in 2016 despite the criticism faced by the Amritsar students and college alumni

The cabinet had said that there is no point in having the additional university in Amritsar where there are already universities like Guru Nanak Dev University, Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences and Indian Institute of Management.

The cabinet added that taking a piece of land from the Khalsa College to make a university will surely effect the heritage status of the college. The ministers in the meeting are believed to have said that in order to protect the college from duplication, its land and properties should be kept intact.

OneIndia News