Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday held the Sangharsh Samiti responsible for what he described as the destruction of the dreams of aspiring doctors following the cancellation of admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Reasi.
Talking to reporters, Omar Abdullah said he has instructed the Health Minister to ensure that students who were admitted to the medical college are accommodated in institutions closer to their homes to minimise academic and personal disruption.
“I have told the Health Minister to get these students adjusted in medical colleges close to their homes,” he said.
The Chief Minister as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust criticized the celebrations held by the Sangharsh Samiti, calling them insensitive and unjustified. “What kind of celebrations are these? Across India, people struggle and agitate for the establishment of medical colleges. Here in Jammu, protests were organised to shut down a medical college,” he said.
He accused the agitators of playing with the careers of students who had secured admission after clearing competitive examinations. “You have played with the careers of students. If you are content with this, then you may as well burst crackers,” he said.
Omar Abdullah rejected claims that the admissions had harmed Jammu’s interests, stating that the situation would have balanced out over time. “This year, over 40 students got admission from Kashmir. Next year, students from Jammu would have got admission. That is how merit-based systems work,” he said.
He said targeting students and institutions undermines the future of medical education and healthcare in the region. “Instead of strengthening institutions, such actions weaken them and hurt young people who have done nothing wrong,” he added.
