Tezpur, Sept. 1: Several students' groups of Biswanath district today staged demonstrations and shouted slogans against Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for naming model colleges after BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya.

Sarma inaugurated a college named after Upadhyaya at Borgang under Behali constituency of Biswanath district today.

The minister inaugurated three colleges - at Dalgaon in Darrang district, Behali in Biswanath district and Iraligol in Karimganj. On Wednesday he inaugurated two Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsh Mahavidyalayas at Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts in lower Assam.

The Biswanath unit of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) today waved black flags in front of Himanta's convoy and shouted slogans, demanding that he withdraw the decision to name the colleges after Upadhyaya and instead name schools and colleges after the leading personalities of Assam.

More than 500 members of the AASU, All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU), Karbi Students Union and Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, participated in the protest today.

The Congress has also opposed the move.

The AASU's assistant general secretary, Duldul Borkakoti, told The Telegraph, 'We vehemently protest against this. If Himanta Biswa Sarma has the capability he should establish a school or college in the name of Assam's freedom fighters. He is acting at the behest of the RSS and does not honour the sentiments of the people of Assam.'

Borkatoki said they could accept one new college named after Upadhyaya, but not all.

'Assam had lots of prominent freedom fighters who made an immense contribution to society. Why are they being betrayed today? Why didn't Sarma name schools and colleges after Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Kanaklata Barua and other renowned persons of Assam. He is behaving as he did during the Congress regime,' he added.

He also said that in spite of repeated requests by AASU and local residents to the health minister and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to rename Tezpur Medical College and Hospital after Karma Bir Chandra Nath, the name was not changed.

After the inauguration, Himanta said from next year the students would get free admission.

Behali would get an engineering college named after Assamese freedom fighter Chobilal Upadhyaya and nursing colleges would be established in the name of Kanaklata Barua and Mukunda Kakoti.

Sarma defended the government's move, saying the BJP ideologue was a great thinker and sociologist and that there was a move to ensure that leading institutions in the country be named after icons from Assam.