NC MLA slams BJP’s Sunil Sharma as ‘fascist, communal, anti-Muslim’
Srinagar: National Conference leader and MLA, Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani, has sharply castigated BJP leader and so-called Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, over his objection to the admission of Muslim students at Mata Vaishno Devi University, terming Sharma’s remarks a reflection of the BJP’s divisive and communal agenda in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, reacting to Sharma’s comments, Dr Wani said the BJP leader’s statements were “anti-Muslim, discriminatory and socially dangerous,” exposing a deeply polarising mindset that fuels hatred and stokes communal fault lines.
“Though he is an MLA and deserves respect for the position he holds, his politics is fascist and communal in nature. He earns political mileage through division. We cannot expect anything better from him,” Dr Wani said, adding that Sharma’s narrative directly undermines democratic fabric. He stressed that educational institutions cannot and must not be run on the basis of religion.
Dr Wani said universities across the world operate strictly on merit, and any attempt to bring religious identity into academic admissions represents a dangerous regression. “This mindset takes us backward and damages national unity,” he added.
The NC MLA said Muslim citizens have contributed significantly to academia, the economy, defence forces and global institutions, and reducing them to a questioned identity was not only unjust but deliberately harmful. Sharma’s remarks, he said, were irresponsible and devoid of even basic understanding of education policy. “Instead of issuing communal statements, he should do his homework,” Wani stressed.
The controversy erupted after Sunil Sharma raised objections to the merit-based selection of a large number of Muslim students in a professional programme at Mata Vaishno Devi University.
Political observers say such comments are part of the wider BJP-RSS tactic to inject communal narratives into every sector of public life, including education, to further polarise the already sensitive environment in the disputed territory. KMS-1K
