Hindu groups intensify protests, demand minority status for SMVD medical college

Several Hindu rights groups on Monday vowed to escalate their agitation demanding minority status for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College (SMVDC) in Jammu and Kashmir, after this year’s MBBS admission list featured a large majority of Muslim candidates.

The controversy erupted after 42 Muslim, one Sikh and seven Hindu students were selected for the 50 sanctioned MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic session through NEET.

The selection has triggered intense protests across Jammu, with multiple right-wing organisations alleging that the institution—funded through donations to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine—is not serving the interests of the Hindu community.

The movement is being led by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti (SMVSS), a coalition of around 60 Hindu groups.

“A joint delegation representing the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, the Sanatan Dharma Sabha and the Jammu Kashmir Sanatan Samaj Nyas convened today to formulate a unified strategy against recent policy decisions of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board,” SMVSS Convenor Col Sukhvir Mankotia told reporters.

He said leaders had “unanimously resolved to escalate their movement until the shrine board's policies are fully aligned with the spiritual and cultural sentiments of the Hindu community”.

Religious leaders echoed the anger.

Mahant Rameshwar Dass said the agitation was about their “faith and existence”.

Mahant Rajesh Bittoo alleged misuse of donations: “The medical college funded on donations of Hindu devotees of Mata Vaishnodevi ji gives benefits to the majority community instead of Hindu minority community in J&K.”

Bittoo further said, “When the conduct within these educational bodies deviates from the principles of Sanatan Dharma, it represents a deep failure and betrayal of trust. We demand an immediate course correction to uphold the religious integrity of these establishments.”

Calling for a mass mobilisation, Col Mankotia added: “If we are not for Ram, we are not for any use.”

Over the past weeks, the BJP, VHP, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, Dogra Front and others have staged multiple demonstrations across Jammu and Reasi, demanding cancellation of the selection list. The BJP has also submitted a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha seeking to restrict admissions at SMVDIME to Hindu students and calling for National Medical Commission oversight.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, criticised the demand: “If the intention was to restrict admissions to a particular community, the college should have been granted minority status at the time of its establishment. Merit should be the criterion for admissions rather than students' religious identity.”

The Shrine Board has not issued an official response yet.