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The college, run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, has been accused by several activists and politicians that it is admitting mostly Muslims for its MBBS programme.
Outfits protesting outside the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Institute of Medical Excellence in Katra. (Photo: X)
Amid the ongoing clash over the admission of Muslim students for the MBBS programme at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday defended merit-based admissions, saying seats cannot be distributed on the basis of religion under the Constitution.
“When the decision was taken to set up a medical college at the university, it was already known that seats could not be distributed on the basis of religion. Approval was granted on the basis of NEET. The only criterion of NEET is merit,” Abdullah said.
The National Conference leader said those who secured admission through NEET are now being punished because of their religion.
Criticising attempts to seek religious segregation in admissions at the college, Abdullah said, “Neither the law nor the Constitution permits this, nor does the policy of the university allow denial of admission based on religious segregation.” He asserted that merit alone determines selection.
“If you want the distribution of seats on the basis of religion, then you must stop taking grant-in-aid and the land given free of cost — you must pay for both. Only then can you change the university rules to reserve seats for one religion. We will have no objection to that,” the J&K Chief Minister said.
BJP Delegation Meets Nadda
Meanwhile, a BJP delegation met Union minister JP Nadda on Tuesday in Delhi, seeking reservation for Hindus in admissions at Katra’s Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME). The party delegation informed Nadda that resentment is brewing over 42 of the 50 MBBS seats in the college’s first batch going to non-Hindus, news agency PTI reported citing a spokesperson.
The college, run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, has been accused by a certain section of activists and politicians with charges of bias for admitting mostly Muslims for its MBBS programme.
Over the past fortnight, right-wing Hindutva groups have held multiple protests demanding the shifting of Muslim students from the college and the Hindu reservation.
The party said the issue has triggered strong reactions among devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi and donors to the shrine. The delegation said it is important to acknowledge the sentiments of millions of devotees associated with the shrine and urged the minister to intervene and find an “emotionally acceptable” solution.
(With agency inputs)
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