DSPMU renaming row: Tribal students block roads in Ranchi for 2nd day
Synopsis
A Cabinet decision taken 18 months ago to rename a Ranchi university after tribal hero Veer Budhu Bhagat remains unimplemented — and when protesters painted the new name on the gate themselves, it was wiped off overnight. The erasure has turned administrative delay into a street battle, raising pointed questions about the Soren government's commitment to its own resolution.
Key Takeaways
Tribal students and organisations staged protests outside DSPMU in Ranchi for a second consecutive day on 6 November 2026 .
The Hemant Soren Cabinet approved renaming the university Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University on 8 May 2025 , but the decision has not been implemented.
Protesters painted the proposed name on the university gate on Thursday; unidentified persons erased it the same night, triggering fresh agitation on Friday.
Demonstrators blocked roads near the campus by burning tyres and erecting bamboo barricades, disrupting traffic.
Former minister Bandhu Tirkey blamed administrative inaction for the delay and called on the government to act immediately.
The university administration has issued no official statement on the dispute.
Protests over the proposed renaming of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee University (DSPMU) in Ranchi intensified on Friday, 6 November 2026, as tribal student groups and social organisations took to the streets for the second consecutive day, blocking roads near the campus by burning tyres and erecting bamboo barricades. The unrest follows the erasure, by unidentified persons, of freshly painted signage bearing the proposed new name — Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University — from the university's main gate overnight.
How the Protests Erupted
The dispute flared on Thursday when members of the Chhatra Adhikar Morcha, Adivasi Chhatra Sangh, and Sarna Samiti, led by former minister and Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Working President Bandhu Tirkey, arrived at the campus and painted 'Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University' on the main gate, demanding immediate implementation of a long-pending Cabinet decision. That night, the newly applied name was erased by unidentified individuals. When word spread on Friday, a large number of students and activists assembled outside the campus, set tyres ablaze, and disrupted traffic on nearby roads.
Who Is Veer Budhu Bhagat
Protesters say Veer Budhu Bhagat was one of Jharkhand's most revered freedom fighters, who led the Kol Rebellion of 1831–32 and remains a powerful symbol of tribal pride and resistance. For demonstrators, the overnight erasure of the name from the gate amounted to an insult to the martyr. Organisations have demanded that those responsible for erasing the name be identified and held accountable, and have also called for the installation of a statue of Veer Budhu Bhagat on the university campus.
The Cabinet Decision and the Delay
The Hemant Soren Cabinet approved the proposal to rename the university on 8 May 2025 — nearly one and a half years ago — yet the institution continues to function under its existing name. Bandhu Tirkey attributed the inaction to administrative lethargy, calling the matter one of honouring Jharkhand's martyrs and urging the government to act without further delay. The university administration has not issued any official statement on the controversy.
Background: A University With a Contested Identity
The institution was formerly known as Ranchi College before being upgraded to a university in 2017 by the then government led by Chief Minister Raghubar Das, at which point it was renamed after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee — a name that itself carries significant political weight as the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The push to rename it after a tribal hero thus carries an unmistakable political dimension, pitting the ruling dispensation's agenda against the legacy of the previous government. This is not the first time a university renaming in Jharkhand has sparked a street-level flashpoint.
What Happens Next
With protests showing no sign of abating and the university administration yet to respond, pressure is mounting on the state government to either fast-track the official renaming process or explain the delay. The coming days will test whether the Soren government moves decisively on its own Cabinet resolution, or allows the impasse to deepen further.
Point of View
And tribal communities in Jharkhand are reading it as one. The original renaming after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was itself a political act by the previous BJP government; the counter-renaming proposal is equally political, and the Soren administration's failure to enforce it exposes the gap between electoral symbolism and administrative follow-through. If the government cannot implement its own Cabinet decisions, the credibility of every future resolution targeting tribal welfare is diminished.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are students protesting at DSPMU in Ranchi?
Students and tribal organisations are protesting the state government's failure to implement a Cabinet decision — approved on 8 May 2025 — to rename Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee University as Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University. Anger intensified after unidentified persons erased the new name that protesters had painted on the university gate on Thursday night.
Who was Veer Budhu Bhagat and why is he significant?
Veer Budhu Bhagat was a tribal freedom fighter who led the Kol Rebellion of 1831–32 against British and landlord oppression in present-day Jharkhand. He is widely regarded as a symbol of tribal pride and resistance, and tribal groups argue that naming the university after him would honour the region's indigenous heritage.
When did the Jharkhand Cabinet approve the renaming?
The Hemant Soren Cabinet approved the proposal to rename DSPMU as Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University on 8 May 2025 — roughly one and a half years before the current protests. Despite the approval, the university continues to operate under its existing name.
What are protesters demanding beyond the renaming?
In addition to immediate implementation of the Cabinet decision, protest groups are demanding the identification and prosecution of those who erased the newly painted name from the university gate. They have also called for the installation of a statue of Veer Budhu Bhagat on the campus.
How did the university get its current name?
Originally known as Ranchi College, the institution was upgraded to a university in 2017 by the then BJP government led by Chief Minister Raghubar Das and renamed after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. The subsequent renaming proposal is seen by many as a direct political counter to that decision.
