Banihal, Nov 24 (KNS ; National Conference leader and MLA Banihal, Sajjad Shaheen, has issued a sharp and unequivocal condemnation of the objections raised by BJP legislators in Jammu regarding the admission of Muslim students to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME). Calling the move “blatantly communal, legally untenable, and a calculated attempt to disturb peace in Jammu & Kashmir,”

According to a press release issued ,Shaheen said the BJP has once again exposed its divisive agenda at the cost of the region’s fragile harmony.

Shaheen stated that SMVDIME is not a minority institution, and therefore cannot, under any law or constitutional provision, implement religion-based reservation or exclusion. “To demand religious quotas in a professional medical college is not only unconstitutional but a shocking attempt to communalise education and undermine meritocracy,” he said.

The MLA expressed serious concern that certain BJP legislators, instead of upholding constitutional values, are actively encouraging communal polarisation by objecting to a merit-based selection list simply because a majority of selected candidates belong to a particular community. “Such conduct is unbecoming of public representatives and reflects a mindset that is dangerous for the unity and integrity of Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Shaheen emphasised that prestigious institutions across India, including Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), St. John’s Medical College, and Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore), all admit students solely on merit. “If institutions with historical and religious associations across the country do not discriminate on the basis of religion, what justification do BJP leaders have to demand a communal admission policy at SMVDIME?” he questioned.

Calling the objections raised by BJP and its affiliates “a deliberate and dangerous attempt to inflame communal passions,” Shaheen urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to take strict note of these provocative actions. He called for firm measures to protect the integrity of the admission process, ensure that no student is targeted for their religious identity, and uphold peace and the rule of law.

“Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed the consequences of divisive politics for decades. We will not allow anyone, be it political parties or fringe groups, to drag the region back into turmoil. Education cannot and must not be turned into a battlefield for communal politics. Merit must stand, and the sanctity of our institutions must be preserved,” he said.(KNS)