42 Muslims in a batch of 50: J&K CM says Vaishno Devi college admissions are merit-based; BJP seeks changes -- what's the row?

Admission to the recently established Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has been mired in a political row after 42 Muslim students were selected in a batch of 50.

The political row broke out after the medical college finished the admission process through the merit list prepared by NEET earlier this month. The college had admitted students based on merit in NEET and gave 85% quota to J&K residents. Eight Hindu students from Jammu found a place in its first MBBS batch of 50 students.

After admissions were over, the first protests were held by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, which argued that a college funded by the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board should give preference to Hindu candidates.

They further argued that, since the institution is supported by donations from Hindu devotees, it should promote Hindu interests.

Officials maintained that admissions were merit-based since the institute did not have minority status and therefore could not apply any religion-based reservations.

'Seats should be for Mata Vaishno Devi devotees'

The Hindu outfit organisations demanded "minority" institution status for the medical college. On the other hand, BJP demanded that the admissions should be given to those who have faith in "Mata Vaishno Devi", saying "donations to the shrine board come from Hindus, for the welfare of Hindus."

"Donations to the shrine board come from Hindus, for the welfare of Hindus. We are upset with the board and the college because they did not consider this sentiment. We told the LG that only those who have faith in Mata Vaishno Devi should get admission. This year's admission is not acceptable to people here. The rules should be changed," said BJP's Sunil Sharma, who lodged a protest with J&K LG Manoj Sinha.

'Our constitution has the word secular'.

Criticizing the outrage over the admissions, J&K CM Omar Abdullah said that the admissions were "merit-based" and those who wanted admissions otherwise should "take permission from the Supreme Court". He further questioned BJP's demands saying that "if you do not want to keep this country secular, remove that word". "Some people do not seem to like merit-based admissions. If you want admissions without merit, take permission from the Supreme Court because as far as I know, you cannot give admission without merit," he said. "There is a demand that admissions be given on the basis of religion, by keeping merit aside, which is not permissible according to the Constitution. Will police perform their duty on the basis of religion," the chief minister asked. "Our constitution has the word 'secular'. If you do not want to keep this country secular, remove that word," he added. On Sharma’s claim that LG assured them of reviewing their demands to scrap the admission list and introduce reservations in future, Abdullah said, “How can anyone assure such a thing? Then why are you separating the Mata Vaishno Devi University and the hospital? Then say that the hospital was set up from the donations received at the shrine and Muslims and non-Hindus won’t be allowed to get treatment there.”