Protest held outside Jammu Lok Bhavan over MBBS admission row

JAMMU: A ample fig of protesters connected Saturday gathered extracurricular Lok Bhavan successful Jammu, demanding revocation of the MBBS admittance database of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) successful Reasi district.

The protesters were mostly activists of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, who are up successful arms against 42 of the full 50 seats going to Muslim candidates.Waving flags and holding banners, astir 250-300 activists shouted slogans against Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha, who is the chairperson of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board arsenic good arsenic SMVDIME, arsenic they struggled to marque their mode into the Lok Bhavan. A beardown constabulary contingent foiled their bid.Later, the protesters were joined by J&K BJP’s women members and respective commercialized leaders, including president of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries Arun Gupta.Talking to media persons, convener of the Sangarsh Samiti, Colonel Sukhvir Singh Mankotia, said the protestation would proceed “till the solution of our genuine demands which are related to our faith”.“We are not against students of immoderate peculiar religion. We conscionable privation the seats successful the aesculapian assemblage to beryllium reserved for Hindu students alone,” helium said, adding that the selected Muslim students beryllium transferred to different colleges.

The contention erupted aft seats for the inaugural MBBS batch of 50 students were filled done the NEET merit database past month. While 42 Muslim candidates, mostly from Kashmir, were selected for admission, lone 7 Hindu students from Jammu and 1 Sikh made it to the list.Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded a solution of the dispute, saying it was imaginable done the associated efforts of the Centre and Omar Abdullah govt. The party’s J&K portion main Manish Sahni, successful a veiled onslaught connected BJP, said, “Those who are fanning the flames of agitation from down the scenes are mostly liable for the dispute. Even erstwhile Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated successful J&K successful 2019, nary involvement was shown successful amending the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Act to prioritise Hindus.”He besides demanded that Hindus should beryllium granted number presumption successful J&K.