Protesters Torch LG Manoj Sinha’s Effigy Against Admissions at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College
Sangarsh Samiti members demand cancellation of MBBS admissions as police intervene during demonstration
Katra, Dec 27: Members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti staged a protest on Saturday outside Lok Bhawan in Jammu, opposing admissions to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Katra. The demonstrators burnt an effigy of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, intensifying their demand for scrapping the medical college project at the revered pilgrimage town.
Carrying Vaishno Devi flags, the protesters raised slogans such as “Go back, LG, go back,” accusing the administration of ignoring public sentiment. Addressing the gathering, a protester said the authorities were testing the patience of locals and reiterated that the medical college was unacceptable at a site considered sacred by followers of Sanatan Dharma.
“All we want is the medical college to be shut down. Why should it be in Katra? It can be established anywhere else, but not at this holy shrine,” the protester said.
The situation turned tense when police attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to a brief scuffle between security personnel and protesters who had gathered in large numbers.
The protest comes in the backdrop of the National Medical Commission (NMC) recently rejecting a proposal by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, Katra, to place 100 per cent of its MBBS seats under the All India Quota (AIQ) to be filled through the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The decision followed a controversy over MBBS admissions earlier this year.
An NMC official said the proposal violated existing admission policies.
“We cannot allow one institute in isolation to place 100 per cent seats under MCC. Government policy clearly defines seat-sharing between central and state counselling,” the official said, adding that any such change would require a broader policy amendment applicable to similar institutions nationwide.
The official further stressed that admission criteria must be uniformly acceptable to all states.
“We need a criterion that is consistent and acceptable across states. Any deviation cannot be made selectively,” the official added.
The controversy over admissions has triggered demands from certain right-wing groups seeking changes to the selection criteria for medical seats, further fuelling protests in the region.
