The Congress on Saturday accused the Modi government of promoting the “communalisation of education” following the withdrawal of permission for MBBS courses at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, and demanded that the college be reopened.
Earlier this month, the National Medical Commission (NMC) revoked the Letter of Permission for the college, citing non-compliance with minimum standards, including deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure. PTI reported that the decision came amid protests by the Sangharsh Samiti, a newly-formed coalition of right-wing organisations backed by the BJP, which demanded cancellation of admissions and sought reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.
Speaking at a press conference, Congress general secretary in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Naseer Hussain, accused the government of communalising education. “Admissions to students at the Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu-Kashmir were done based on NEET. The number of Muslim students in the final admission list was higher in the admission list; 42 out of 50 students were Muslim. This happened because the Muslim community has a larger population in that area. During counselling, most children chose colleges in their own region so they could stay close to home,” Hussain said, alongside J&K AICC Secretary Divvya Madernna.
“The National Medical Commission cancelled the permission for this college altogether,” he added. Hussain questioned whether proper inspections had been conducted before granting the license and whether all rules had been followed. “Let us tell you that there are many such examples in Hindustan, where a large number of children from other communities also study in Muslim or Christian colleges,” he said.
Hussain further asked why a sudden inspection was conducted at SMVDIME, who raised complaints, and whether the action was influenced by public pressure. “Were the circumstances so serious that the entire medical college had to be shut down? Was no information taken about the examination system? In September 2025, permission was granted to the medical college for the MBBS course, so was no inspection related to infrastructure conducted before that?” he said.
He also questioned if, like the ED, CBI, IT and ECI, the NMC was being misused for political purposes. Hussain demanded that the college be reopened after corrective measures were taken. PTI reported that he and Madernna also highlighted a recent demolition in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district.
According to the Congress, Abdul Naeem had invested Rs. 20–22 lakh of his personal savings to purchase land, obtain required NOCs and licences, and establish a school to educate children from nearby villages and tribal communities. “Despite this, rumours were spread branding the school a ‘madrasa’, even though only three Muslim families live in the village. Subsequently, the district administration used a bulldozer to demolish the school structure, allegedly without prior notice or a transparent investigation,” they alleged.
Hussain and Madernna called for rebuilding the school and establishing a high-power committee to investigate both the SMVDIME and Betul cases, urging that the guilty be punished. “BJP should put an end to bulldozer culture and toxic politics,” they said.
The Betul district administration, however, maintained that only an illegal portion of a building was demolished for failing to complete formalities, dismissing claims that rumours about a madrasa influenced the action. A team led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajit Maravi reportedly razed the shed constructed with iron sheets in Dhaba village under Bhainsdehi tehsil last Tuesday.
Madernna criticised the BJP government’s approach to education, saying, “Sonia Gandhi ji brought the Right to Education Act during the UPA government, but the BJP government is coming with the Right to Demolish Education System. For BJP, education has become nothing more than an election slogan.” She added, “The BJP government wants to systematically destroy the rationality and critical thinking of educated youth through a well-planned conspiracy, so that they can run the curriculum of their WhatsApp University.”
PTI reported that Hussain and Madernna’s statements came during a press briefing in Jammu, highlighting concerns over both the medical college in Katra and the school in Betul.
(With inputs from PTI)
