BJP defends closure of SMVDMC, rejects J&K’s division rumours
Srinagar, Jan 8: Amid controversy surrounding the cancellation of recognition of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College, BJP general secretary (organisation) for J&K and Ladakh, Ashok Koul, on Thursday asserted that the party remains committed to safeguarding the future of students and dismissed speculation about any move to divide Jammu and Kashmir on regional lines.
Responding to concerns over the impact of the college’s closure on aspiring medical students, Koul said there was no intention to “play with the future of children” and said that students would be accommodated in other medical colleges within the Union Territory. He said the BJP’s priority was to ensure quality education and proper training for students, particularly in professional courses like medicine.
Koul said it had been clearly conveyed that the government’s focus remained on protecting students’ careers. He stressed that decisions related to medical institutions were guided by regulatory norms rather than political or religious considerations.
Addressing political speculation and reports suggesting a possible separation of Jammu from Kashmir or the linking of Jammu with other states, Koul categorically rejected such claims. “This is not the thought of the BJP. It may be an individual’s opinion, but as of today, the BJP’s stand is clear,” he said, reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and is viewed by the party as a single entity.
“Jammu and Kashmir is J&K, not Jammu and Kashmir separately. This is what the BJP has to say,” Koul said , underlining the party’s official position on the territorial and administrative unity of the Union Territory. Koul also dismissed allegations that the closure of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College was linked to religious identity, calling such claims baseless. He said the cancellation of recognition was a purely regulatory decision taken by the Medical Council following inspections that revealed serious deficiencies in infrastructure and academic facilities.
“There is a law of the Medical Council. It is important that students who study in a medical college get a proper environment to study,” Koul said, adding that inspection teams found a lack of essential requirements such as adequate rooms, sufficient doctors, and an appropriate patient load—key elements necessary for medical training.
According to Koul, objections were raised by several stakeholders, prompting a detailed inspection by a special team, which subsequently identified multiple irregularities. He clarified that the decision had neither religious nor political motivations. “Neither is it the work of any religious person nor of any political party. It is decided by the Medical Council,” he said.
He further said that while the Medical Council had granted registration to the college earlier, the assurances given at the time regarding infrastructure development were not fulfilled. “If there is no infrastructure, then what is the point of studying there?” Koul asked, stressing that producing competent doctors required proper facilities and training environments.
The controversy surrounding Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College has sparked debate across J&K, particularly over student rehabilitation and institutional accountability. However, BJP leaders maintain that regulatory compliance and student welfare remain central to the government’s decisions in the matter.
