Cabinet Minister Javaid Rana on Wednesday termed the controversy surrounding admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Reasi as unhealthy and harmful for a democratic society, asserting that religion must never become an identity in education.

Talking to reporters, Rana said the developments around the medical college have sent a wrong signal and risk pushing society in a regressive direction.
“This was not a healthy issue. In a democratic country, religion should not become an identity in education. It is not a good sign, and we are guiding society in the wrong direction,” he said.
The minister warned that such controversies leave behind a damaging precedent. “Once you communalize education, it sets a bad example for the future. Education should unite, not divide,” he added.
Rana also launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that the party’s actions and intentions in the matter were questionable. “The actions and intentions of the BJP are not good. The world is moving forward, while we are stuck in mandir-masjid issues,” he said.
He said excessive focus on religious identity distracts from real challenges faced by the people. “We are invoking the past and forgetting the present. This is not how countries progress or advance,” Rana said.
The minister stressed that policy decisions should focus on development, employment, and education rather than identity-based politics, warning that continued polarization would harm both social harmony and institutional credibility.