In front of the library building in Government Civil Lines College Lahore, there stands a white marble pillar. This pillar bears an inscription in loving memory of Ishwar Das Mehra B.A., who made significant contributions to the construction of the college during his time.
Interestingly, a question arises: If the name of Dayal Singh College could remain unchanged after the partition in 1947, then why did Anjuman Hayamat Islam forcefully change the name of Dayanand Vedic College to Government Islamia College Civil Lines in 1955? The original name of the college was attributed to the Hindu leader Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and it was founded by the Arya Samajists as the School of Dayanand Ayur Vedic on June 1, 1886.
One might argue that Anjuman Hayamat Islam could have chosen to construct a new college and give it any name they desired, rather than forcefully changing the name of an existing institution with a significant historical association. The presence of this white marble pillar serves as a reminder of this controversy and prompts us to reflect on the decisions made regarding the naming and identity of educational institutions.
