Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked BJP leader Sunil Sharma to push for declaring Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) a minority institute to keep away non-Hindu students.
However, he said such leaders should remember their opposition to the admission of Muslim students in the medical college whenever they try to raise a finger against the community and blame it for becoming communal, sectarian or not tolerating others.
“Faith is fine but when you were building the college, it should have been given the minority status at that time. The admissions happen on the basis of NEET and other tests and not on the basis of religion,” Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He was responding to a question about Sharma, the leader of opposition in J-K Assembly, defending the stance of his party that the first batch of admissions in the college should be revoked and the seats be reserved for the students having faith in the deity, keeping in mind the donations which run the institute.
“Now if you want Muslims to not get admission in this institute, let it be the case. Declare it a minority institute and the Muslims and one Sikh student who have secured their admission on the basis of their merit should be given admission somewhere else. But keep in mind your role when you raise a finger against Muslims and allege that they have become communal, sectarian and do not tolerate others,” Abdullah said.
Referring to the ‘white-collar’ terror network headed by a group of doctors in Faridabad’s Al-Falah University, linked to the blast in Delhi on November 10 and an accidental explosion inside the Nowgam police station in Srinagar on November 14, he said questions were asked why the Kashmiri doctors went to the institute where they got radicalised.
“When the children are ready to get education at Mata Vaishno Devi college, having no issue with its name or funding to pursue their education and become doctors, you want to deny them their admission raking up the issue of religion,” he said, adding “tomorrow, if they go to any other institute where they will get radicalised, can Sunil Sharma take the responsibility?”
The chief minister advised the BJP leaders not to push Muslim students like this. “If you want that Muslim students not study there, please change the status of the institute and our children will get admission somewhere else like Bangladesh or Turkey,” he said.
Earlier, reacting to the Monday’s remark of the chief minister, Sharma said he did not oppose merit but faith cannot be ignored as well.
Abdullah on Monday said, “When the Assembly passed the Bill for the establishment of Mata Vaishno Devi University, where was it written that students of a particular religion will be kept outside it? At that time, it was said that admissions will not be given on the basis of religion but only on the basis of merit.”
The SMVDIME has been sanctioned 50 MBBS seats this year and admission of 42 students of a particular community in the maiden batch for 2025-26 academic year sparked a controversy with right-wing Hindu groups questioning the process and demanded the grant of “minority institute” status to the newly established college.
Officials, however, said admissions were made on merit as the institute has not been granted minority status and, therefore, no reservation criteria based on religion could be applied.
A delegation of BJP MLAs led by Sharma met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha here late Saturday and demanded cancellation of the admission list and reservation of seats to only those students who have faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.
“I was surprised by the statement of the chief minister. We never asked for abandoning the merit. The communal and regional politics suit the National Conference and the PDP. The BJP is a national party and considers the whole country as one,” he said.
However, he said the BJP will never compromise with “faith, devotion and loyalty”.
“Vaishno Devi is a religious place and has a special place in the hearts of the devotees across the country and abroad. People from other religions have their own style of living and it could trigger a clash and law and order problem.”
He said talking about merit does not suit the chief minister. “The prince should explain how he became the chief minister by sidelining senior leaders. Your merit is that you are from the Abdullah family,” he said.