A political slugfest has erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress over the proposed naming of a School of Eminence in Nangal after Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, triggering anger among sections of the Dalit community and local activists.The controversy intensified after Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, while addressing a function at the school on Sunday, alleged that the Congress-dominated Nangal Municipal Council had repeatedly blocked the proposal to name the school after Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. He claimed that the Punjab Government had sent a resolution three times, seeking approval to name the school after Dr Ambedkar, but the council failed to pass it.Bains further stated that, as per procedure, approval from the local body was mandatory for renaming a government institution. He added that once AAP secures power in the municipal council after the upcoming elections, the resolution would be passed and the school would be officially named after the architect of the Indian Constitution.However, Congress leaders have strongly refuted these claims, calling them politically motivated. Municipal Councillor Paramjit Singh of the outgoing Nangal council dismissed the minister’s statements as an attempt to woo Dalit voters ahead of the civic polls. He argued that the municipal council has no authority over naming or renaming a state-run government school.“The School of Eminence is run by the Punjab Government, and it has full powers to name or rename it through an executive order,” Singh said. He pointed out that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had both visited the institution recently, suggesting that the state government was fully aware of its administrative control.Paramjit Singh also claimed that no formal proposal to rename the school after Dr Ambedkar was ever placed before the municipal council house. “If such approval was required, it was the responsibility of the executive officer to bring the proposal before the house. This is nothing but political posturing,” he added.Meanwhile, the controversy has drawn sharp reactions from Dalit activists in the region. Kuldeep Chand, a prominent social activist, expressed disappointment over the delay and conflicting claims. “For over a year, we have been hearing that the school would be named after Babasaheb. Now the minister himself is saying it hasn’t been done officially. This is an insult to BR Ambedkar,” he said.Kuldeep Chand warned that if the government does not take immediate steps to officially rename the school, Dalit organisations may approach the courts. “This is not just about a name — it is about respect for the legacy of Dr Ambedkar and the sentiments of the community,” he added.The issue is rapidly gaining political traction in the run-up to the Municipal Council election in Nangal, with both AAP and the Congress attempting to shift responsibility onto each other. Observers believe the controversy could influence voter sentiment, particularly among Dalit communities, who form a significant electoral base in the region.As the blame game continues, the fate of the school’s proposed renaming remains uncertain, even as public pressure mounts on the authorities to resolve the matter swiftly.