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Summary:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly opposed a proposal by the BJP to scrap the MBBS admission list at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) and reserve all seats for Hindu students. The BJP’s move comes after 42 Muslim students qualified for 50 available seats based on merit. Abdullah argues that admissions should be based solely on merit, as stipulated by the university’s founding act, and that introducing religious criteria would violate constitutional principles and set a dangerous precedent for other public services. Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam also opposes the move and condemned the Red Fort blast.
News Article:
Abdullah Slams BJP Attempt to Segregate MBBS Admissions by Religion in J&K
Srinagar – Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) demand to scrap the current MBBS admission list at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) and reserve all seats exclusively for Hindu students.
The controversy erupted after 42 Muslim students secured admission to the university’s MBBS program based on merit. The BJP subsequently submitted a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, claiming the university was built on Hindu donations and therefore, should prioritize Hindu students.
Chief Minister Abdullah vehemently refuted this argument. “When the J&K Assembly passed the Bill to establish Mata Vaishno Devi University in 1999, where was it written that boys and girls of one religion would be excluded?” he stated on Monday. He emphasized that the university’s founding act clearly mandates admissions based on merit, and altering this principle would be a violation of constitutional provisions.
Abdullah warned that introducing religious criteria into admissions could create a domino effect, impacting other public services and potentially leading to discriminatory practices. He challenged the BJP’s assertion, questioning whether similar principles should then be applied to social welfare programs or even policing.
Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam echoed Abdullah’s concerns, emphasizing the secular nature of India and calling for harmony and brotherhood in the country. Mr. Islam also condemned the recent Red Fort blast in New Delhi that resulted in civilian deaths.
The debate underscores the sensitive nature of religious representation in Jammu and Kashmir and raises concerns about the potential erosion of merit-based systems.
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