Protesters Burn Effigy of J&K L-G Amid Escalating Row Over Vaishno Devi Medical College Admissions

SRINAGAR: Dozens of protesters gathered outside Lok Bhavan in Jammu on Saturday and burned an effigy of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, demanding the revocation of the MBBS admission list of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Reasi district.

Chanting “LG go back”, the demonstration was led by the newly formed Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, a coalition of several right‑wing groups. J&K BJP women activists and trade leaders, including Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries president Arun Gupta, also joined the protest.

The agitation blocked the main road outside Lok Bhavan for over 90 minutes, causing traffic disruptions across adjoining routes. Heavy police deployment was required to manage the crowd and prevent protesters from entering the complex.

“We will continue our protest until our faith‑related demands are met. We are not against students of any religion, but want seats in the medical college reserved exclusively for Hindu students,” said Samiti convener Col. Sukhvir Singh Mankotia. He argued that the protest was held outside Lok Bhavan because the Lt. Governor, as chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), must ensure that no community’s religious sentiments are hurt. He added that the government should shut the college if it cannot reserve seats for Hindu students.

The controversy erupted after the first MBBS batch of 50 students was admitted through the NEET merit list last month—42 Muslim candidates, mostly from the Kashmir Valley, seven Hindu students from Jammu, and one Sikh candidate. The protests, initially launched by right‑wing Hindu groups, eventually led to the formation of the Sangharsh Samiti, whose leaders have since met the Lt. Governor and senior central government officials, including the Union Health Minister.

Protesters argue that the institute, built and funded primarily through donations from Hindu devotees visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine tucked away in the Trikuta hills near Jammu, should prioritise or exclusively admit students aligned with those sentiments.

The BJP has formally endorsed calls for revoking the current admissions, amending the Shrine Board and University Acts to allow religion-based preferences, and granting the institute minority status under Article 30 of the Constitution to enable Hindu reservations.

A party delegation, led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, previously submitted a memorandum to the Lt Governor urging these changes, framing the issue as one of “devotee welfare” and “religious balance.”

The Vishua Hindu Parishad has been at the forefront, framing the issue as an example of "selective secularism" and "reverse discrimination" against Hindus. It argues that public welfare projects funded by Hindu offerings should not undermine the faith of donors. Seeking an immediate review and revocation of the inaugural 2025-26 admissions, it has also demanded policy overhaul to ensure "religious balance" in future batches, granting minority status to SMVDIME for Hindu reservations and similar scrutiny of faculty appointments, claiming a disproportionate number of Muslim and Christian staff.

Critics from across the political spectrum have, however, condemned the demands as discriminatory and unconstitutional. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has repeatedly defended the merit-based process, stating: “The Act establishing the university and medical college clearly mandates admissions on merit, irrespective of religion. If anyone wants religion-based admissions, they should approach the Supreme Court to amend the law.” He questioned the logic, asking rhetorically whether Muslim patients should then be denied treatment at the associated Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Super-Speciality Hospital.

PDP leader Iltija Mufti termed the agitation “anti-Muslim apartheid,” while People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone accused the BJP of “communalising the noble field of medicine.”

Political analysts note that the BJP's stance risks alienating voters in the Kashmir Valley, where the party has sought to build inclusivity ahead of future elections, potentially undoing outreach efforts by reinforcing perceptions of bias. As protests intensify—with threats of larger agitations and shutdowns—the fate of the 42 meritorious students remains uncertain, turning a routine NEET-based admission process into a broader debate on secularism, merit, and religious identity in education.

The National Medical Commission recently rejected a Shrine Board proposal to shift all seats to the All-India Quota, citing policy constraints. Authorities have yet to announce any formal response to the latest protest, but the issue continues to polarise Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape.