‘MBBS seats on merit basis, not religion’
* Mineral blocks auction aimed to raise revenue
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said there is no proposal to hike electricity tariffs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Replying to a question during an interaction with media persons after launching auction of limestone mineral blocks along with Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy here, Omar junked reports of imposition of a 20 per cent surcharge on the base power tariff for consumption during designated peak hours.
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“No electricity hike is proposed, and I do not know where this rumour started,” Omar, who holds charge of the Power Department, said.
“I am also the Power Minister and so far no such discussion (to hike power tariff) has taken place, leave aside my signature on the claimed proposal. There is no proposal to hike the power tariff before the Government,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said he has already made it clear in the budget that there will be no hike in the electricity fee. “Unnecessarily, this has made an issue.”
On the e-auction of seven limestone blocks, the Chief Minister referred to his speech and said he wanted to put any speculation by his “political friends” on the issue to rest that these blocks will not be given to anyone and the Central Government will have no control over these.
“The Union Ministry of Mines is assisting us so that the blocks are allotted in a transparent manner and the mining work also starts in J&K. Limestone is a very essential raw material for cement and attempts will be made that not only there will be mining work but a cement industry is also set up in the vicinity which could help creating jobs for unemployed youth,” he said.
Omar took strong exception to the BJP’s stance on the first admissions in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, and said any move to grant MBBS seats without merit would require the Supreme Court’s approval.
The Constitution has a word, ‘secular’, and if they (BJP) do not want to keep the country secular, they should first remove the word, Abdullah said.
He said he failed to understand all the “fuss” over the selection of the majority of candidates from a particular community in the first list of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
“When the Assembly passed the Bill for the establishment of the Mata Vaishno Devi University, where was it written that students from a particular religion will be kept outside its purview? At that time, it was said that admissions will not be given on the basis of religion but only on the basis of merit,” the Chief Minister said.
“Some people do not seem to like merit-based admissions. If you want admissions without merit, take permission from the Supreme Court because as far as I know, you cannot give admission without merit.
“There is a demand that admissions be given on the basis of religion, by keeping merit aside, which is not permissible according to the Constitution,” Abdullah said.
If tomorrow the Government starts taking decisions based only on religion, what will happen to social welfare schemes, ration distribution, etc., Abdullah asked.
“Will police perform their duty on the basis of religion,” the chief minister asked. “Our constitution has the word ‘secular’. If you do not want to keep this country secular, remove that word,” he said.
Abdullah also advised LoP Sunil Sharma to go through the Act passed by the J-K Assembly, which is there on record.
“Being the LoP, he (Shrama) can check whether it is written that seats will be distributed on the basis of religion. It talks about distribution of seats on the basis of merit. What is the fault of those who secured seats on the basis of merit,” Abdullah said, as he asked students to work hard to clear the entrance examination.
On Sharma’s claim that L-G Sinha has assured to look into their demands for revocation of the admission list and reservation of seats henceforth, Abdullah said, “How can anyone assure such a thing? Then why are you separating the Mata Vaishno Devi University and the hospital? Then say that the hospital was set up from the donations received at the shrine, and that Muslims and non-Hindus won’t be allowed to get treatment there.”
The Chief Minister also said that when land was given for setting up the university after the Assembly passed the Act, it was clearly mentioned that seats will not be distributed on the basis of religion, but only on merit.
Omar said he is looking forward to a day when Jammu and Kashmir would no longer need to approach the Central Government for financial assistance, but instead be self-sufficient and capable of contributing to the Centre. He expressed gratitude to Union Minister G Kishan Reddy for proposing a special group within the Ministry of Mines to fast-track mineral exploration in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering during the launch of the e-auction of the first seven limestone mineral blocks of J-K here, Abdullah said the e-auction initiative marks a crucial step towards economic revival and sustainable development in mineral-rich but economically weaker areas of J-K.
“At least, we have limestone – and that limestone lies in areas where the economic situation is very bad,” he said.
He recalled how J-K’s mineral wealth, including the famous Neelam (sapphire) of Paddar and marble deposits, have remained commercially under-utilised for decades.
The Chief Minister said the initiative is aimed at increasing J-K’s own revenue, which currently stands at around Rs 500 crore from these mineral blocks.
“When more blocks are identified, I hope our earnings will grow. I look forward to the day when the Chief Minister of J-K will not have to go to Delhi seeking funds. On the contrary, we will be self-sufficient and capable of contributing to the Centre,” Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister revealed that Minister Reddy personally intervened and urged J-K to take renewed interest to complete the process. “In between, Reddy picked up the phone from Delhi and spoke to me. He asked me to push this forward so that these e-auctions are concluded successfully,” he said.
Reiterating his commitment to good governance, Abdullah said, “Our effort is to have these blocks auctioned in a transparent manner. I assure you that the J-K Government will not create any obstacles.
“Instead, we will ensure that this process – and the next one – is successful. I hope this programme proves beneficial for J-K and for the entire country,” he said.
In an attempt to put an end to any speculation on the limestone block auctions, the chief minister said it is important to clarify that the Centre is only providing assistance to his Government to explore the mineral wealth.
“I want to make something clear because we have a lot of political friends, and I know that if I do not clear this thing today, tomorrow through the newspaper they will try to spread information that we have given our mines to the Centre. Absolutely not… there is nothing like that,” he said.
He said the Central Government has offered its help to increase the earnings of Jammu and Kashmir.
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