Jammu Civil Secretariat under heavy security as sangharsh samiti holds protest over quota issue

The Civil Secretariat and the J&K Legislative Assembly are located in the same zone, making it a highly sensitive area. As a precautionary measure, extensive security arrangements were put in place.

The protest was led by Kartik Sudan, in-charge of the youth wing of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti. Police personnel in anti-riot gear, including helmets, were deployed along the main road in front of the Secretariat complex, while senior police officers supervised the situation on the ground.

The protesters alleged irregularities and bias on the part of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) and expressed resentment over what they termed discrepancies in the functioning of the Health and Higher Education departments.

The demonstrators reached the area and staged a peaceful sit-in, sitting on mattresses and raising slogans against the government. They also recited religious hymns during the protest. Kartik Sudan said that while the protest remained peaceful and within democratic limits, the administration should not interpret it as a sign of weakness.

The Samiti alleged that a majority of MBBS seats at the institution, which is run by a Hindu shrine, were allotted to non-Hindu candidates. The controversy emerged in November last year when 42 of the 50 seats at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence were allotted to Muslim candidates during the maiden academic session.

The Samiti has demanded either cancellation of admissions for the first session or closure of the medical college.

Following a recent meeting between Samiti members and Union Health Minister JP Nadda in New Delhi, a four-member team of the National Medical Commission (NMC) conducted a surprise inspection of the medical college. According to reports, several deficiencies were found during the inspection, some of which were videographed. It was also learnt that multiple mandatory requirements were not fulfilled by the college administration.

The Samiti has been pressing the BJP to intervene in the matter. On Monday, Leader of Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma met Samiti members and assured them of the party’s engagement on the issue. As per an official statement, Sharma said BJP MLAs were in constant touch with the central leadership and senior officials.

Meanwhile, Sangharsh Samiti convener Sukhvir Singh Mankotia warned of intensified protests if the demands are not addressed promptly. He announced that a protest by the women’s wing of the Samiti will be held on January 8, followed by a demonstration by retired armed forces personnel on January 10. He also threatened a complete “chakka jam” across the Jammu region if no decision is taken.

Shut down college, shift students elsewhere: CM

Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence should be shut down and students be shifted to other government medical colleges.

“Why are the people protesting again today? On what basis are they protesting? Those children worked hard to get their seats. No one did them any favour, neither me nor the university. They passed the exams and got their seats. If you do not want to have them there, then adjust them somewhere else,” he said.

Omar said no student would want to study at the institute, considering the prevailing atmosphere. “If I were the parents of these students, I would also have not have sent them there,” Omar said.

“By all means, the Union Ministry of Health should shift them to some other medical college of ours so that they can continue their education,” the chief minister told reporters here.

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Courtesy: The Tribune -07-Jan-2025