Protest erupts in Jammu over admission at Vaishno Devi Medical College
Protesters burn LG Manoj Sinha’s effigy, demand cancellation of admissions
Jammu: Members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti held a protest outside Lok Bhawan (Governor’s residence) in Jammu against the admission process at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Katra, Reasi. During the demonstration, the protesters burned an effigy of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protesters, who were carrying Vaishno Devi flags, raised slogans of “Go back, LG, Go back” while demanding the cancellation of admissions to the medical college. The protest was driven by growing concerns over the demographic representation in the college’s MBBS admissions.
One of the protesters expressed frustration with the ongoing situation, stating, “Authorities are testing our patience. All we want is for this medical college to be shut down. Why place it in Katra? Move it somewhere else. A medical college on the sacred grounds of Sanatan Dharma is simply unacceptable.”
As the police attempted to control the large crowd, tensions escalated, resulting in a brief scuffle between the protesters and the police.
The protest follows increasing calls from some right-wing Hindu groups demanding changes to the selection criteria for medical seats at the newly established Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College. The controversy stems from the 2025–26 academic session’s MBBS admissions, where 44 out of the 50 students selected on merit were from the Muslim community.
