Modi govt. communalising education, says Congress

The Congress on Saturday (January 17, 2026) accused the BJP-led government of deliberately “undermining and communalising” the education system, citing the withdrawal of permission for the MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), where majority of the students admitted were Muslims, and the demolition of a school built by a Muslim man in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress general secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Syed Naseer Hussain, along with party national secretary Divvya Madernna, demanded the immediate reopening of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence and the reconstruction of the demolished school in Betul.

Mr. Hussain alleged that educational institutions were being turned into tools to advance political and communal agendas. He said that quality education formed the backbone of a developed nation but claimed that the present government was “continuously injecting poison” into the system.

“Admissions to students at the Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu-Kashmir were done based on NEET. The number of Muslim students in the final admission list was higher in the admission list; 42 out of 50 students were Muslim. This happened because the Muslim community has a larger population in that area. During counselling, most children chose colleges in their own region so they could stay close to home,”the Congress leader said.

Earlier this month, the National Medical Commission (NMC) revoked the Letter of Permission to Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra-based college, citing non-compliance with minimum standards and extensive deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure.

The order followed an agitation by the Sangharsh Samiti, a recently-formed conglomerate of outfits backed by the BJP, demanding cancellation of admissions to the medical college and seeking reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.

Referring to the Betul incident, Mr. Hussain said a school built by Abdul Naeem at a personal cost of about ₹20–22 lakh for local children, was bulldozed despite having the requisite permissions. He alleged that rumours were spread branding it a madrasa solely because the founder was a Muslim, and that the demolition was carried out without notice, inquiry or hearing.

Probe demanded

The party demanded a high-level probe into the Betul demolition and the medical college closure, punishment for those responsible, and an end to what it termed “bulldozer culture” in education.

The Congress leaders also cited other instances, including the alleged poisoning of a school water tank in Karnataka’s Belagavi district and disruptions to Christmas celebrations at a school in Assam. They alleged budget cuts to Central universities and stagnation in funding for Jawaharlal Nehru University, alongside school closures and staff shortages.

Ms. Madernna said institutions were being shut instead of strengthened, and accused the government of eroding the spirit of the Right to Education Act.