Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Jan 10 : National Conference Chief Spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq has asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gained strength in Jammu and Kashmir only after being bolstered by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Speaking with Kashmir Convener Sadiq questioned the party’s historical presence in the Jammu and Kashmir, stating, “Where were they in Jammu and Kashmir for the past 70 years? Today, the BJP is in a position where it can do whatever it wants.”
Addressing the recent withdrawal of permission for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) to run its MBBS course, Sadiq expressed grave concern over the implications for students. “Consider this: there were about 45 Muslim and six to seven Hindu students affected. Think of how many of our students aspire to become doctors, and how many futures are now at stake. The BJP has played with their careers. This is not a minor issue—it will have far-reaching consequences,” he said.
He criticized the BJP for sacrificing education for political gain. “It is deeply regrettable to see a party that seeks to ruin the future of our students. As Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated, while protests occur on campuses worldwide, this is perhaps the first instance where a party has destroyed the future of its own children over educational institutions,” Sadiq added.
“I am appalled by our Leader of the Opposition and BJP ministers like Sat Sharma, who appealed to the central government to shut down the college. It is unfortunate that they have jeopardized the future of their own constituents’ children.”
He emphasized that medical service should transcend religious divides, particularly in times of crisis. “In the name of religion, these people have compromised the future of Jammu and Kashmir. When COVID-19 struck, did anyone check whether a doctor was Muslim or Hindu? How many disasters must we face before realizing that such divisions are destructive?” Sadiq said.
The NC spokesperson claimed that Mehbooba Mufti has continuously shifted political allegiances. “In 2014, she played one political game; in 2019, another; and now she is playing yet another. But the public now understands that if the BJP was born in Jammu and Kashmir, it was because of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti.”
Sadiq also contended that public opinion in Jammu is strongly opposed to the college’s closure. “The people of Jammu are totally against this decision. It is only a handful of individuals, operating under the guise of a struggle, who have ended up ruining the future of Jammu and Kashmir. No parent anywhere would want their child’s future destroyed in the name of religion,” he said.
He warned of long-term repercussions, stating, “In 10 or 20 years, we will realize how many doctors—perhaps a majority of them Hindu—could have emerged from that institution. By engaging in such petty politics, they have compromised the future of our children and the nation. They will surely face the consequences.”
“I want to tell the people of Jammu that your vote for the BJP is being repaid with the betrayal of your children’s future,” he said.
The NC leader also commented on political figures including Congress leader Choudhary Lal Singh, whose statements he dismissed as inconsistent, and praised colleague Tariq Hameed Karra for rejecting calls to make Jammu a separate state.
Sadiq challenged the BJP’s recent assertions of authority, asking, “Why didn’t they act in 2019 when they had the opportunity? Do not threaten us now, when the BJP is failing everywhere—even its own MLAs have underperformed. We will hold them accountable in the assembly for pursuing nothing but communalism, for dividing Hindus and Muslims, and for pitting people against one another. That is their politics.”
The remarks follow criticism from former J&K Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, who described the National Medical Commission’s decision as having “far-reaching consequences” and warned it could empower “communal forces” nationwide to exclude Kashmiri Muslim students from educational institutions.
Mufti also questioned the role of the elected government, noting that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had publicly called for the medical college’s closure just hours before the NMC’s announcement. “Was there some understanding or discussion that led to this? The chief minister should have stood up against the decision,” she said.
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