St. Joseph College: Govt had the choice to use ‘Catholic’

Dimapur, Dec. 17: When the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on November 22 last expunged the word “Catholic” off St. Joseph Catholic University and shortened it to St. Joseph University at the recommendation of Governor PB Acharya, the latter was roundly criticised by the public as well as the local media. Acharya had, in his recommendation, suggested the change in name in order “to avoid opening University in the name of any religion.” Though the state cabinet – back then – had noted that there was no bar for such nomenclature, it gave the approval to shorten the name. On Saturday, during a panel discussion held here at Dimapur, BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon was asked since when have the Nagaland legislators become such zealous defenders of secularism. In response, Kikon said the “conjecture” that the Governor had “objected” to the inclusion of “Catholic” in the name was based on “suspicion”. It was a recommendation from the Governor, not an objection, Kikon pointed out. Regardless of the governor’s “recommendation”, according to him, the “government of the day” could have simply forwarded the same document back to the governor and the latter would have no choice but to give assent to it. In the given context, to construe the Governor’s recommendation for change in nomenclature as “objection” was to indulge in misgivings because the state government had the choice to go ahead with the original name despite the Governor’s recommendation, he explained.