Tauseef Ahmad
Srinagar, Jan 9: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday alleged that the de-recognition of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Sciences (SMVDIMS) was politically motivated and warned that such actions could have wider national repercussions.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti accused the prior understanding between Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration over closure of SMVDIMS college.
Referring to the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) decision, she said the move followed protests by certain groups in Jammu and reflected a pattern in which “experiments carried out first in Jammu and Kashmir are later replicated across the country.”
Mufti also raised questions about Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks a day before the de-recognition order was issued. “He hinted that the college could be shut, and the very next day the order came. This raises serious questions about whether there was any prior understanding with the Centre,” she said.
She expressed concern for thousands of students from the region studying across India, saying recent developments could expose them to increased targeting.
While acknowledging that the affected students, who cleared NEET on merit, are likely to be adjusted elsewhere, Mufti said the larger issue was the growing insecurity among students from Jammu and Kashmir. “If students are made to feel unwelcome even in their own region, how can they feel safe studying in other states?” she asked.
The PDP chief alleged that the administration had succumbed to pressure from “fringe communal forces,” warning that the precedent could embolden similar actions against minorities in other parts of India.
