Sangh outfits protest Vaishnodevi Medical college admissions after 90% selectees are Muslims: Report
Katra: Outfits linked to the Sangh Parivar have launched protests in the Jammu region, demanding that the Katra-based Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Institute of Medical Excellence scrap the admission list for its first batch of students, as 90% of the selectees are Muslims from Kashmir.
The protests, supported by BJP Udhampur MLA R.S. Pathania and led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, argue that an institute funded by donations to the Vaishno Devi shrine should not be dominated by members of the Muslim community, and that seats be reserved for Hindus, as reported by The Indian Express on Friday.
However, under existing rules, this is not legally possible, as the Vaishnodevi medical institute is not classified as a minority institute.
The controversy erupted after the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (JKBOPEE) released a list of 50 selected candidates for the Vaishnodevi medical institute. Among them, 42 are from Kashmir and eight from Jammu. Of them, 36 from Kashmir and three from Jammu have already taken admission.
Protesters have demonstrated outside the institute and even burnt the effigy of the Chief Executive Officer of the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, added the report.
VHP J&K president Rajesh Gupta demanded that admissions for the 2025-26 session be put on hold. “The management should correct its “mistake” and ensure that a majority of the students picked for the next one are Hindus,” TIE quoted him as saying. He further called the list of 50 drawn up this time “a conspiracy to Islamize the medical college”.
Meanwhile, Rattan Lal Gupta, National Conference Jammu province president, blamed the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which runs the college. He opined that they should have sought minority status while applying to the National Medical Council (NMC) to set up a medical college.
Since the board did not seek such status, the JKBOPEE had no choice but to select students based on NEET merit, Gupta stated, adding: “Most of the students with higher merit happened to be from the majority community (Muslims) in Kashmir.”
Officials, quoted in the report, emphasised that the admissions were conducted in accordance with NMC guidelines, which require all 1,685 seats in the 13 medical colleges of J&K to be filled based on NEET scores. Additionally, 85% of seats are reserved for UT domiciles, with the remaining 15% open to candidates from the rest of the country.
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MP: Protest over Dhoudan dam continues for eighth day, work stalled
Chhatarpur (MP) (PTI): Tribals displaced due to the proposed Dhoudan dam under the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh continued their protest for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday, halting work at the site.
Villagers affected by the project in Panna district, including Majhgawan and Runj, remained stationed at the construction site pressing for their demands.
Protesters have been demanding a compensation package of Rs 12.5 lakh for displaced families, similar to what they claim has been sought for those affected by other dams in the region.
Panna Additional Collector Alok Marko and SDM Satish Nagvanshi reached the protest site during the day and held detailed discussions with the agitators.
The officials said that the compensation had been disbursed in accordance with government guidelines and the land acquisition law.
"In the Runj project, 99 per cent payment has been completed, while more than 90 per cent compensation has been paid in villages affected by the Ken-Betwa project, including Kateri, Baleta, Gadra and Koni. If any name has been left out, we are ready to conduct a fresh survey based on documents," Nagvanshi said.
The administration had taken along a representative of the displaced persons to provide photocopies of records, he said.
Protesters are demanding that the earlier compensation package of Rs 5 lakh for Majhgawan and Vishramganj dams be increased to Rs 12.5 lakh, at par with that of the Dhodan dam displaced persons. The administration, however, has termed the demand "policy-wise impossible", as the relevant awards had been passed years ago.
Social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the agitation, rejected the administration's claims, alleging that only 60 per cent of the affected people have received compensation and there are major discrepancies.
"If gram sabhas and procedures have been conducted constitutionally, we will end the protest, but we will not part with even an inch of land through unconstitutional means," he said.
As the protest site falls within the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve, the administration has tightened security arrangements.
Collector Parth Jaiswal appealed to the protesters to maintain law and order in the restricted zone of the tiger reserve and resolve the issue through dialogue.
He added that a survey is underway, and no eligible person will be deprived of compensation.
A team of doctors arrived at the site to examine the protesters, who were camping there with essential supplies, but returned without conducting check-ups.
