Jammu, Nov. 25 -- A political slugfest erupted in Jammu & Kashmir on Monday over the maiden batch of students at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Katra, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding the revocation of the admission list issued by the institute even as chief minister Omar Abdullah said that admissions were given on the basis of merit and not religion.

The tussle comes days after the institute, funded by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), announced the first admission list featuring 42 Muslim students for its 50 MBBS seats. The list triggered controversy, with right-wing Hindu groups questioning the process and demanding the grant of "minority institution" statu...