HEADLINE: Sweets, Dhols and Hate: Right-Wing Group Celebrates after J&K Medical College Loses Recognition

Jammu: In a stark display of how deep communal faultlines run in the region, a group of activists in Jammu & Kashmir were seen celebrating the de-recognition of a medical institution on Friday.
The Celebration
Members of the Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, an umbrella body of nearly 60 pro-BJP and RSS-affiliated organizations, gathered to distribute sweets and dance to the beats of dhols. The joyous atmosphere was not for a new project, but for the cancellation of recognition of a Medical College in the region.
The Communal Trigger
The celebration stems from a long-standing agitation by the Samiti against the college administration. The group had vehemently opposed the admission of Muslim students into the MBBS course at the institution.
Instead of viewing the de-recognition as a setback for the state’s healthcare infrastructure and medical aspirants, the group framed it as a “ideological victory” against the management.
Political Reaction
National Conference leader and former CM Omar Abdullah reacted sharply to the visuals. In an interview, he termed the celebration “unfortunate” and “shameful.”
“We are seeing a time where people are happy that an institution has failed, simply because they hated the students studying there. This is not a victory for Jammu; it is a defeat for education,” Abdullah stated.
Chaupal’s Take:
This incident highlights a dangerous trend where communal objectives supersede development goals. In a state that desperately needs more doctors and educational infrastructure, cheering for the closure of a medical college exposes a self-destructive obsession with identity politics.