Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 8: National Conference Additional General Secretary and former Minister Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra today came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for mischievously orchestrating conspiracy to sabotage the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), saying that the withdrawal of permission to the new medical institution has once again exposed the deeply entrenched anti-Jammu mindset of the Sangh Parivar.
In a scathing statement, Mr Sadhotra said it is highly unfortunate and alarming that an institution of professional excellence, which held immense promise for the youth of Jammu, has been pushed into uncertainty through deliberate failure. He said the denial of permission to SMVDIME by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on account of serious deficiencies in infrastructure, faculty, and clinical standards will have grave and long-term consequences for the academic future of thousands of aspiring doctors from the Jammu region. This reflects a calculated attempt to deprive Jammu of vital institutions of higher learning, he regretted.
Sadhotra said that had SMVDIME been allowed to function smoothly, the number of MBBS seats would have eventually gone far beyond the present 50 seats, substantially benefiting the youth of Jammu and strengthening the region's healthcare system. Snatching away such an institution at a nascent stage amounts to throttling Jammu's growth and aspirations, he added.
Expressing shock and disbelief, Mr Sadhotra questioned how SMVDIME, which functions under the direct administrative control of the Lieutenant Governor, Mr Manoj Sinha, failed to fulfil mandatory norms required for continuation of medical courses. He said this glaring lapse cannot be dismissed as routine or accidental. Either there has been gross incompetence or there is a mala fide intent engineered by the anti-Jammu BJP.
Both scenarios demand answers, accountability, and exposure, he added. Mr Sadhotra demanded that those responsible for this mischief be identified and held accountable without delay. He questioned why timely corrective measures were not initiated despite repeated tall claims of strengthening medical education in Jammu and Kashmir.
Accusing the BJP of consistently compromising with the interests, aspirations, and rights of the Jammu region, Mr Sadhotra said the people of Jammu are intelligent enough to read between the lines and understand how the saffron party has systematically weakened institutions that empower local youth, while indulging in hollow rhetoric.
Reiterating the National Conference's firm resolve, Mr Sadhotra said the party will not allow the careers of Jammu and Kashmir's youth to be pushed to the brink due to political indifference, administrative incompetence, or deliberate sabotage. NC will mobilise public opinion and take up the issue at every democratic forum to ensure justice for the region.
Mr Sadhotra lauded Chief Minister Jenab Omar Abdullah for his prompt and sensitive intervention, particularly his directions to the Minister for Health to ensure that the selected students are suitably accommodated in other medical colleges in the wake of the withdrawal of permission to SMVDIME. He said this step reflects the Chief Minister's commitment to safeguarding the future of students.
Mr Sadhotra urged the Lieutenant Governor, in his capacity as Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, to immediately rectify the lapses and restore SMVDIME's permission. He asserted that the National Conference will continue to fight resolutely against any attempt to undermine Jammu and Kashmir's educational, social, and developmental interests. |
