A fierce dispute has erupted over renaming Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee University in Ranchi.
Tribal students and several social organisations staged intense street protests for the second consecutive day on Friday.
The Jharkhand Cabinet approved a proposal nearly eighteen months ago to rename the institution as Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University.
However, state authorities have failed to implement this official Cabinet decision so far.
Agitated student groups hit the streets to protest this prolonged administrative delay.
Protesters blocked major roads near the university campus by burning tyres and erecting bamboo pole barricades.
The current conflict began on Thursday when activists arrived at the main university gate.
Members of Chhatra Adhikar Morcha, Adivasi Chhatra Sangh, and Sarna Samiti led the campus demonstration.
Former state minister Bandhu Tirkey joined the student activists during this initial protest.
The protesters painted the name Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat University directly onto the main gate.
Activists also shouted slogans demanding the immediate execution of the pending Cabinet order.
Later that night, unidentified miscreants erased the newly painted name from the university entrance.
News of the erasure quickly spread among tribal student unions across the city.
Enraged students and activists launched a fresh wave of demonstrations outside the campus on Friday morning.
A large crowd gathered at the entrance, set tyres ablaze, and disrupted local vehicular traffic.
Student leaders highlighted the historical legacy of Shaheed Veer Budhu Bhagat during their speeches.
They noted that Veer Budhu Bhagat led the historic Kol Rebellion against British rule in 1831-32.
Protesters asserted that this revered freedom fighter remains a powerful symbol of tribal pride and resistance.
They argued that the government approved the name change, yet officials refuse to enforce it.
Student representatives stated that erasing the martyr’s name from the gate insults Jharkhand’s tribal heritage.
The agitating organisations demanded strict police action against the culprits who removed the paint.
They also demanded that authorities install a statue of Veer Budhu Bhagat inside the campus.
Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Working President Bandhu Tirkey blamed administrative inaction for the ongoing crisis.
Tirkey stated that the issue directly involves honouring the great martyrs of Jharkhand.
He urged the state government to enforce the renaming order without any further delay.
Authorities originally established this historic educational institution as Ranchi College.
In 2017, the Raghubar Das government upgraded the college into a full-fledged university.
That previous administration named the newly upgraded institution after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Subsequently, on May 8, 2025, the Hemant Soren Cabinet approved the renaming proposal.
Despite that formal approval, the university still operates under its old name today.
University officials have not issued any formal statement regarding the ongoing campus protests.
Police personnel deployed near the campus to maintain law and order during the blockade.
Traffic movement remained severely affected along the adjoining roads for several hours.
Student leaders warned authorities of intensifying their agitation if officials ignore their demands.
The campus atmosphere remains tense as tribal groups continue their protest near the gate.
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