SRINAGAR JAN 08 : Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti launched a scathing attack on Thursday against celebrations in Jammu following the closure of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi, terming the demonstrations as the “heights of bigotry” and accusing celebrators of discriminating against Muslim students.
“Heights of bigotry is Jammu celebrating the closure of a medical college only because it paved opportunities for Muslim students,” Mufti stated in a post on social media platform X. Her sharp criticism came in response to widespread celebrations across the Jammu region after the National Medical Commission withdrew recognition from the medical institution.
The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission on Tuesday withdrew the letter of recognition granted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, citing “non-compliance with minimum standards.” The decision has sparked a political firestorm, with reactions sharply divided along regional and ideological lines.
The MARB announced that all students admitted to the college during counselling for the 2025-26 academic year will be accommodated in other medical institutions across Jammu and Kashmir as supernumerary seats by the competent authority of the Union Territory administration. This arrangement aims to ensure that students who had secured admission are not left stranded without educational opportunities.
Mufti, daughter of PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, drew a pointed comparison between the current celebrations and those witnessed in Ladakh following the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019. She suggested that both instances represented short-sighted decisions that ultimately harmed the interests of the regions involved.
“Just like Ladakh in 2019, Jammu too is cutting its nose to spite its face – OUR collective face and future. Alvida Logic, Vikas aur Taraqee,” she wrote, using Urdu phrases meaning “goodbye logic, development and progress.” The comparison invoked memories of the controversial constitutional changes that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.
Her remarks reflect the PDP’s position that regional celebrations over such decisions are misguided and ultimately detrimental to the broader interests of all communities in the region. The reference to Ladakh appears aimed at suggesting that initial enthusiasm in that region has given way to disappointment over administrative and developmental outcomes.
The NMC’s order followed a sustained agitation by the Sangharsh Samiti, a recently-formed conglomerate of right-wing outfits backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The organization had been demanding cancellation of admissions to the medical college and seeking reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.
The Sangharsh Samiti organized victory processions through Jammu city following the NMC’s decision, with supporters celebrating what they termed a success for their movement. The group maintained that their objective was to protect religious traditions and ensure that the institution named after the Hindu deity adhered to principles of Sanatan Dharma.
However, critics like Mufti have characterized the agitation and subsequent celebrations as communally motivated, arguing that they effectively discriminate against students from the Muslim community who had gained admission to the institution through merit-based processes.
The medical college closure has exposed deep political divisions in Jammu and Kashmir. While BJP-aligned organizations and some local leaders celebrated the NMC decision as a victory for religious values and institutional accountability, opposition parties including the National Conference, Congress, and PDP have condemned it as administratively irresponsible and harmful to the region’s educational interests.
The National Conference and Congress have questioned why the institution was initially granted permission if it failed to meet standards, and why corrective measures were not taken instead of outright closure. They have also raised concerns about the future of medical education infrastructure in the region and the message such a closure sends to aspiring medical students.
Mufti’s statement adds to this chorus of criticism, but with a sharper communal edge, explicitly linking the celebrations to anti-Muslim sentiment rather than focusing solely on educational policy concerns. Her framing of the issue as one of bigotry rather than administrative failure represents the PDP’s attempt to highlight what it sees as the underlying communal dynamics driving the controversy.
The debate over the medical college closure continues to intensify, with both sides showing no signs of backing down from their positions on what has become a highly charged political and communal issue in Jammu and Kashmir.
