SRINAGAR: The controversy surrounding the admission of Muslim students to the Vaishno Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Jammu &Kashmir's Reasi district escalated on Tuesday with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) demanding closure of the medical college.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the selection process as merit-based and called for shifting students to other medical colleges and the closure of medical college due to the politicisation of the entire issue.
The youth wing of SMVDSS held a protest outside the Civil Secretariat, Jammu, today against the admission of Muslim students in the medical college.
The SMVDIME was sanctioned 50 MBBS seats for the 2025-26 academic session. Out of the 50 students provided admission in the institute through NEET, 42 are Muslims. It created a row with Hindu groups, including the BJP, opposing the selection of Muslims. About 60 groups have formed the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS).
Chanting religious slogans and reciting Hanuman Chalisa, the Sangarsh Samiti youth wing members said the offerings by Hindu devotees at the Vaishno Devi shrine should be exclusively utilised only for the development of Hindu shrines and the upliftment of the Hindu community and free education of Hindus, similar to the Gurukul system.
They argued that shrine funds should not be spent on commercial ventures such as medical colleges and hospitals, where students and patients are charged lakhs of rupees.
Sangarsh Samiti’s convenor, Colonel (Retd) Sukhvir Mankotia said the medical college would remain a source of problem forever and closing the institution is a better option and best solution.
"We should not start institutions at such places, which will create problems," he said. "The institution should be closed and students shifted to other medical colleges at the earliest."
According to Mankotia, on their complaint, the National Medical Council (NMC) team conducted an inspection and found that the medical college lacked infrastructure and facilities.
“We demand that the medical college be closed immediately and the shrine money be used for the development of Hindu shrines and upliftment of the community,” he said. "We are hopeful that NMC will recommend closure of the medical college".
Reacting to the protest, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the agitation unjustified.
“For what are they protesting? The candidates were selected purely on the basis of merit. No one did them a favour — neither I nor the university,” he said. “The students secured admission after clearing NEET.”
Stating that the atmosphere had become highly politicised, the CM said the students might no longer want to study there. “The Union Ministry of Health should make arrangements for them in other medical colleges. We don’t want to teach them in a place where politics is being played,” he said.
“Close that medical college. It is not even worth opening. Shift the students to some other medical college,” Omar said.
The Sangarsh Samiti’s convenor warned of intensifying the agitation.
“Today the youth wing came out on roads to protest. Day after tomorrow women workers and ex-servicemen would also come out on roads in support of our demand,” he said.
Mankotia said if the government fails to meet their demands, the Samiti would organise “chakka jam” in all district headquarters across Jammu region. “We may also be compelled to call for a Jammu bandh,” he added.
