Chandigarh, March 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Members of the Misl Satluj organisation today held a protest outside the Punjab Legislative Assembly at Vidhan Sabha Chowk under the leadership of Youth Wing president Yadvinder Singh Yadu “Alal”. The protest was organised to demand the removal of Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala.
Speaking to journalists, Misl Satluj Youth President Yadvinder Singh Yadu “Alal” said that after the protest held by them on November 2, the university’s Academic Council had passed a resolution to remove former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the title of the institution and forwarded it to the Punjab government for further action.
He said the issue was expected to be brought before the Punjab government in the Assembly for approval, but no discussion was held on the matter during the 10-day session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Instead, he alleged that the entire Assembly session was spent on political blame games.
Yadu said naming an educational institution after a person associated with statements seen as justifying the killing of thousands of innocent Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots hurts the sentiments of the Sikh community. He referred to the statement made at the time — “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes” — which many believe was used to justify the violence against Sikhs.
According to official figures, around 2,800 Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone, while independent sources estimate that more than 10,000 Sikhs were killed across the country. Thousands of homes were destroyed and an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 Sikhs were displaced during the violence.
Harjit Singh Khizrabad said naming a law university after a person linked with such controversies would be equivalent to making a mockery of the justice system. He said the study of law teaches justice, accountability and constitutional values, and if the institution itself is named after someone associated with major controversies, it could send the wrong message to students.
He added that respect for the law is upheld when justice is reflected not only in books but also in symbols and decisions.
Yadu said the issue was not merely about changing a name but about historical justice and respecting the sentiments of the Sikh community. Misl Satluj demanded that Rajiv Gandhi’s name also be removed from other institutions where it has been used, so that historical truth and justice are given priority.
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