Protests Outside Lok Bhavan, LG’s Effigy Burnt Over Medical College Admission Row

Jammu, Dec 27: Hundreds of protesters on Saturday staged a demonstration outside Lok Bhavan here, setting ablaze an effigy of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and demanding revocation of the MBBS admission list of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Raising slogans like “LG go back”, the protest was organised by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, a recently formed conglomeration of various right-wing organisations. JK BJP women activists and several trade leaders, including Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries president Arun Gupta, also participated.

The protest led to the blocking of the main road outside Lok Bhavan, triggering traffic snarls on adjoining roads and causing inconvenience to commuters for over one-and-a-half hours. Police personnel were deployed in strength to maintain law and order and regulate traffic, and had a tough time pushing back protesters who attempted to move inside the complex.

Addressing reporters, Sangharsh Samiti convener Colonel Sukhvir Singh Mankotia said the agitation would continue until their “genuine demands related to faith” were addressed. “We are not against students of any particular religion, but we want seats in the medical college to be reserved for Hindu students only,” he said.

Mankotia said the protest was held outside Lok Bhavan as the Lieutenant Governor is the chairman of the shrine board and it is his responsibility to ensure that the religious sentiments of communities are not hurt. He added that the government should shut down the medical college if reserving seats for Hindu students posed a problem.

The controversy erupted after admissions to the inaugural MBBS batch of 50 students were completed last month through the NEET merit list. The batch includes 42 Muslim candidates, mostly from Kashmir, seven Hindu students from Jammu, and one Sikh candidate.

The protests were initially launched by right-wing Hindu groups, later culminating in the formation of the Sangharsh Samiti. Its leaders have already held talks with the Lieutenant Governor and senior central government leaders, including the Union Health Minister. (Agencies)