The Congress on Saturday accused the Modi government of indulging in the “communalisation of education” following the withdrawal of permission for the MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) and demanded that the medical college be reopened after corrective measures.
Earlier this month, the National Medical Commission (NMC) revoked the Letter of Permission to the Katra-based medical college in Jammu and Kashmir, citing non-compliance with minimum standards and serious deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure.
The decision followed an agitation by the Sangharsh Samiti, a recently formed conglomerate of right-wing outfits backed by the BJP, which demanded the cancellation of admissions to the college and sought reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.
Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary in-charge Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Naseer Hussain, accused the Centre of targeting the institution on communal lines. He was accompanied by J&K AICC Secretary Divvya Madernna.
“Admissions at Vaishno Devi Medical College were done strictly on the basis of NEET. In the final list, 42 out of 50 students were Muslims because the Muslim population is higher in that region. During counselling, most students chose colleges close to their homes. This is a natural process,” Hussain said.
He said the NMC had now cancelled the permission for the college altogether, raising serious questions over the regulatory process.
“In such a situation, the question arises — was no proper inspection conducted before granting the licence? Were all the rules not followed at that time? There are many examples across the country where students from different communities study in Muslim or Christian institutions as well,” he said.
Hussain also questioned the timing and intent behind the sudden inspection of the college. “Who complained? Was the action taken due to pressure created in the public domain? Were the circumstances so serious that the entire medical college had to be shut down?” he asked.
He pointed out that permission for the MBBS course was granted in September 2025 and asked whether no inspection related to infrastructure had been conducted before that.
The Congress leader further alleged that just like the ED, CBI, IT and the Election Commission, the National Medical Commission was also being misused for political purposes.
Raising the party’s demands, Hussain said the medical college should be reopened after taking corrective measures, instead of being shut down entirely.
The Congress leaders also raised the issue of the demolition of a school in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.
They said a person named Abdul Naeem had invested Rs 20–22 lakh of his personal savings, purchased land, obtained the required NOCs and licences and established a school to educate children from nearby villages and tribal communities.
“Despite this, rumours were spread branding the school a ‘madrasa’, even though only three Muslim families live in the village. Subsequently, the district administration demolished the structure allegedly without prior notice or a transparent investigation,” they alleged.
They demanded that the school in Betul be rebuilt and allowed to reopen, and called for a high-level inquiry into both the SMVD medical college case and the demolition in Madhya Pradesh, with punishment for those found guilty.
They also accused the BJP of promoting “bulldozer culture” and toxic politics.
However, the Betul district administration said it had demolished only an illegal portion of a building for not completing formalities, rejecting reports that the action was taken due to rumours of a madrasa or school being run from the structure.
According to officials, a team led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajit Maravi demolished a shed constructed with iron sheets in Dhaba village under Bhainsdehi tehsil last Tuesday.
In her remarks, Divvya Madernna said, “Sonia Gandhi brought the Right to Education Act during the UPA government, but the BJP is now bringing the Right to Demolish Education System. For the BJP, education has become nothing more than an election slogan.”
She alleged that the BJP wants to systematically weaken rational and critical thinking among youth so that it can run what she described as a “WhatsApp University”.
