JAMMU, Dec 5: Hindu right-wing organizations under the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti staged a fiery protest march through Jammu city Friday, demanding the immediate relocation of Muslim students from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) and exclusive seat reservations for Hindu candidates, culminating in effigy burning and a traffic-disrupting dharna.
Explosive Slogans Target CM, Shrine Board
Marchers vented outrage against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, torching the CM’s effigy before squatting at Maharaja Hari Singh Samarak near Tawi bridge, halting traffic briefly. Samiti convenor Col Sukhvir Mankotia accused authorities of “complete failure” in dialogue, warning escalation if demands aren’t met swiftly: “They ignored our calls for amicable resolution—we’ll go to any lengths for community justice.”
“Merit Claim a Sham,” Alleges Protest Leader
Dismissing Abdullah’s merit-based admission defense as “wrong and shameful,” Mankotia clarified no harm intended to enrolled students but slammed mishandling. He insisted temple-funded institutions must honor Sanatan Dharma and Hindu sentiments: “Donor-built facilities can’t neglect our community—this reeks of a deliberate plot to undermine Jammu & Kashmir’s Hindu religious pillars.”
NEET Results Spark Multi-Group Agitation
Tension erupted over SMVDIME’s 2025-26 MBBS intake: 42 Muslims, 1 Sikh, 7 Hindus among 50 NEET-selected seats at the Reasi medical college. The Samiti—backing BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Dogra Front—has fueled dozens of protests regionwide. BJP earlier petitioned Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for Hindu-only admissions and National Medical Commission intervention.
