Seeks probe into Betul school demolition, Vaishno Devi Medical College closure
NEW DELHI — The Congress on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of systematically “communalising education” and dismantling India’s public education system through targeted closures, demolitions and funding cuts.
The principal Opposition party cited a series of incidents across BJP-ruled states — from the demolition of a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district to the closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu and Kashmir — alleging discrimination against minorities, Dalits and tribal communities, and demanded high-level judicial probes.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress General Secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, along with party National Secretary Divvya Maderna, alleged that the BJP was turning educational institutions into instruments of political and communal agendas.
At the centre of the controversy is an incident in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, where a school building constructed by local resident Abdul Naim using his personal savings—estimated at ₹20–22 lakh—was demolished by the district administration. According to Congress leaders, Naim had purchased land, obtained all necessary licences and no-objection certificates, and sought to provide education in a predominantly tribal area that lacked a school.
Despite this, the administration allegedly deployed bulldozers without issuing prior notice or conducting any inquiry. The Congress claimed that rumours were spread branding the school an “illegal madrasa” solely because its founder was a Muslim, even though the village reportedly has only three Muslim families. The party further alleged that the district collector later admitted to acting under “pressure,” raising serious questions about bureaucratic impartiality.
“This sends a chilling message that if you belong to a particular community, you cannot run institutions, provide education or engage in social service,” Dr Hussain said.
The Congress also criticised the sudden closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Sciences in Jammu and Kashmir. The move followed protests over the fact that 42 of the 50 MBBS students admitted belonged to one community. Party leaders maintained that admissions were conducted transparently through NEET counselling and domicile-based preferences, and pointed out that the institution was established under a state Act with funding from both the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
“Permissions were granted, licences were issued and admissions were approved months earlier. How did the infrastructure suddenly become inadequate only after the final admission list was released?” Dr Hussain asked, questioning the role of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
He said the demographic composition of the region and students’ preference for colleges closer to home explained the admissions pattern. He also questioned whether regulatory norms and infrastructure had not been verified when approval for the MBBS course was granted in September 2025, and alleged that the NMC was being misused in a manner similar to agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, Income Tax Department and the Election Commission.
To support its allegations, the Congress cited several other incidents, including: Karnataka (Belagavi): In July 2025, four individuals were arrested for allegedly poisoning a school water tank in an attempt to frame a Muslim headmaster. Twelve children were hospitalised.
Assam (Nalbari): On December 24, 2025, unidentified groups allegedly disrupted Christmas celebrations at St Mary’s School, forcing staff to flee.
Uttar Pradesh: The state government cancelled Christmas holidays in schools and replaced them with celebrations marking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary following calls from fringe organisations.
The Congress leader cited several other incidents to support his allegations, including: Karnataka (Belagavi): In July 2025, four individuals were arrested for allegedly poisoning a school water tank in an attempt to frame a Muslim headmaster. Twelve children were hospitalised.
Assam (Nalbari): On December 24, 2025, unidentified groups allegedly disrupted Christmas celebrations at St Mary’s School, forcing staff to flee.
Uttar Pradesh: The state government cancelled Christmas holidays in schools and replaced them with celebrations marking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary following calls from fringe organisations.
Dr Hussain alleged that educational institutions were being “openly saffronised” and that universities promoting critical thinking and scientific temper were being targeted through funding cuts and administrative action. He cited budget reductions of ₹68.73 crore for Jamia Millia Islamia and ₹306 crore for Aligarh Muslim University, while noting that Jawaharlal Nehru University has seen no increase in funding for the past seven years despite expansion. He also claimed that schools were being shut down and teacher recruitment had stalled.
Referring to parliamentary committee reports and the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), Congress leaders said only about 27 per cent of Indian students access higher education, compared with nearly 70 per cent in countries such as the United States and China, warning that the trend was accelerating brain drain.
Ms Maderna said that instead of building schools and hospitals, institutions were being shut down. Recalling the Right to Education Act enacted during the UPA regime, she alleged that the BJP was turning the “sacred space of education into a political arena” and seeking to suppress critical thinking among young people.
The Congress demanded the constitution of a high-powered committee to investigate both the Betul school demolition and the closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College, strict action against those responsible, an end to what it termed “bulldozer culture,” and an immediate halt to “poisonous politics” in the education sector.
“Quality education is the foundation of a developed nation,” Dr Hussain said, adding that “poison is being continuously injected into the education system under the present government.” He demanded the immediate reopening of the Vaishno Devi Medical College after corrective measures and the reconstruction of the demolished school in Betul, along with permission to resume classes.
