Against the backdrop of a recent controversy over the selection of 42 Muslim candidates in the medical college established and funded by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the BJP today demanded amendment in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Act, 1999.
Addressing a press conference, BJP chief spokesperson, senior advocate Sunil Sethi, flanked by senior advocate Abhinav Sharma, advocate Ankur Sharma and Zorawar Singh Jamwal, cautioned against politicising or communalising the matter.
Sethi criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for what he described as his attempts to project the issue as a Hindu-Muslim conflict.
Sethi said the sensitivities associated with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, being a revered Hindu religious institution, must be respected. At the same time, he added that “the rights of the selected candidates can be protected through several available legal and administrative avenues,” urging responsible handling of the situation.
Abhinav Sharma pointed to what he called inadequate publicity of the admission process. According to him, limited dissemination of information deprived many meritorious Hindu students of an opportunity to opt for the college during counselling.
Ankur Sharma also criticised Omar for “mocking the sentiments of the Hindu community” by what he described as a “deriding and trivialising” response to the concerns raised.
Sharma argued that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Act, 1999 should be revisited by the legislature.
He stated that the university and the upcoming medical college have their origins, funding, and institutional purpose rooted in the Hindu religious tradition, and therefore possess a distinct religious identity.
On that basis, he asserted that the Act could be amended by the competent authority to reflect and preserve this identity, including exploring legally viable provisions related to admissions consistent with the institution’s founding purpose, he said.
BJP spokesperson Zorawar Singh Jamwal called Omar Abdullah’s “bluff” on the issue and criticised his attacks on the leader of Opposition, terming them baseless and politically motivated.
He said the BJP would continue to raise the concerns of the community while urging that the matter be approached with seriousness and sensitivity rather than politicisation.
