Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 3: Various protest demonstrations were held against BJP in support of setting up of AIIMS in Jammu, by several political, social, trade, youth and other organizations today at different places across the region.
Members of AIIMS Coordination Committee and Bar Association Samba today staged a noisy protest demonstration outside the residence of Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga criticizing the BJP’s ‘negative’ and misleading role during the ongoing agitation for sanction of separate AIIMS in Jammu.
Led by Samba Bar Association, president, Sukhdev Singh Sambyal, the advocates in the shape of rally assembled and took out a protest rally from Samba’s old bazaar where they held demonstration. The protesting Bar members blocked the Jammu -Pathankot highway for half an hour and then proceeded to Vijaypur where they interacted with the people and informed them about their movement for AIIMS.
As the anger has been growing against the BJP, the Bar members in the shape of rally reached outside the residence of Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga at Sarore. They staged a dharna and blocked National Highway to express their anger. The protesters were shouting like “Jammu Ke Jai Chand Hosh Me Aao.”
After half an hour of demonstration, the protesters went to SIDCO Chowk at Bari Brahmana and staged protest demonstration. There too, they blocked the highway.
The Congress activists led by S S Shingari held protest near Bakshi Nagar and then Jewel Chowk. About a score of protesters including Congress workers were detained by police and then released after some time. The protests were also held at High Court Chowk at Janipur, Old city and parts of Talab Tillo, New Plot, Gandhi Nagar and Satwari. Effigies of DyCM and BJP leaders were burnt at many places.
Meanwhile, AIIMS Coordination Committee declared that the entire organizations of BJP including its Speaker in Legislative Assembly, ministers in the Government and MLAs were rebuffed by the people of Jammu by refusing to pay heed to their pleas and cajoling to open business establishments.
The AIIMS CC appreciated the people of Jammu for demonstrating their resolute commitment to the ongoing agitation for the establishment of a full-fledged AIIMS in Jammu. It is for the history that the sitting Speaker and Cabinet Ministers themselves led the police and civil administration in trying to coerce people to ignore the bandh call so that the ongoing genuine struggle of the people of Jammu province is defeated and their ulterior motives are fulfilled. They did everything from arresting peacefully demonstrating people.
President JKHCBA, Jammu Abhinav Sharma while addressing hundreds of supporters in different parts of Jammu, today warned that ugly actions by the Government and the unwarranted disruption of people’s right to protest will boomerang on the vindictive, biased and Pro-valley BJP. He said that in case Government continues to play dilly-dallying tactics with the sentiments of the people and does not come out forthwith a notification required as per AIIMS Act of 2012 and declares establishment of full-fledged AIIMS for Jammu, the agitation instead of dying down will further escalate leading to unimaginable consequences for the BJP.
He said no amount of oppression and suppression can draw away their aspirations.
Mr Sharma further informed the people that to make holy pilgrimage to Amarnath Shrine and Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine comfortable, AIIMS CC has arranged vehicles free of charges for the visiting pilgrims both at Railway Station and at General Bus Stand.
Among others who addressed gatherings included Retd Sessions Judge and president JPPF, Pavitar Singh, Inderjeet Khajuria, S Trilochan Singh Wazir, president CCI Jammu Rakesh Gupta, vice president S L Langar; President All J&K Passenger Transport Association, Devinder Chowdhary, former Bar president, B S Slathia, Panun Kashmir leaders Dr Agnishekhar and Dr Ajay Chrungoo, Prof Hari Om, Narayan Singh, Dr C L Gupta, M S Katoch, Anan Sharma, Pranav Kohli, SOS chairman Rajiv Chuni, S Rajinder Singh, Sham Lal Basson and Suhasni Vashisht.
National Panthers Student Union (NPSU) today held a protest demonstration outside the University campus, blocked the main road and burnt the effigy of Ch Lal Singh Health Minister in protest against his false, misleading statements on AIIMS. The NPSU activists led by its president Virender Singh assembled at the University gate in the morning raised slogans of ‘Lal Singh Hai Hai…’, ‘Nirmal Singh Hai Hai.., ‘BJP MLAs resign Karo Karo…” and blocked the road for about 40 minutes resulting in huge traffic Jam. They dispersed only after police resorted to cane charging on the protesting students.
Speaking on the occasion Virender Singh strongly flayed the BJP leaders for their politics of treachery and deceit. He said that BJP leaders were desperately trying to save their chair by making false announcements on AIIMS. He said that the State Health Minister was even seen misbehaving with media and giving threats to the protestors which was highly condemnable.
Reiterating the support to the ongoing bandh and agitation in Jammu over the demand for an independent institution of AIIMS, JK PCC has accused the BJP leaders of telling lies in order to mislead the people over the whole issue to sabotage the ongoing movement.
A meeting of senior leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee was held here today under the chairmanship of PCC chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir to take stock of situation arising out of ongoing bandh and agitation for establishment of an independent institute of AIIMS, in view of the genuine aspiration of the people of Jammu region.
The meeting expressed serious concern over the attitude of the Centre and State Govt. towards the ongoing movement launched by the AIIMS Co-ordination Committee having mass support to this general cause and the public anger is because of the indifferent attitude and misleading acts and statements by the State and Central leaders of the present Govt.
The members extended full support to the ongoing movement and asked the Govt. to immediately concede the demand for independent AIIMS for Jammu Region to end the ongoing unrest.
The meeting was attended by Sham Lal Sharma, Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla, Kanta Bhan, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Manjeet Singh, Rajnish Sharma, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh, Indu Pawar, Shashi Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Neeraj Kundan and others.
Duggar Pradesh Party strongly hailed the struggling people of Jammu region for giving befitting reply to the BJP by not opening their business establishments and observed complete Bandh, rejected their appeal and continued with the call given by AIIMS Coordination Committee for another 72 hours and described it a clear message to the BJP people sitting in power who were trying to create confusion, misunderstanding and disunity among the Jammu people that nothing less than full-fledge AIIMS will be accepted.
Uday Chand, president of the DPP said that instead of playing cheap tactics to sabotage Jammu peoples’ movement, the BJP leadership should give proper feedback to its Central leaders for appropriate quick decision as per the wishes of the Jammu people but the recent statement on AIIMS issue by Union Health Minister JP Nadda clearly speaks that the BJP ministers on their visit to Delhi, could not plead the demand of the people and miserably failed to explain the cause.
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party in a meeting held at Akhnoor under the chairmanship of its State president, Tarsem Khullar , discussed the issue of full fledged AIIMS at Jammu. The members said that the BSP State unit was fully committed to get the AIIMS sanctioned for Jammu at any cost.
Mr Khullar alleged that this is an unholy plan of the Government to divert the attention of the people from the burning issue of AIIMS. The members also protested strongly against the proposed change of name of a local road by the Government.
Chief patron of National Panthers Party Prof Bhim Singh accused BJP leadership and the Central Government for trying to mislead the people of J&K by invoking a non-existent doctrine of ‘AIIMS like facility’ Medical Institutions in Kashmir Valley as well as in Jammu Pradesh which is totally strange and beyond the scope of AIIMS Act, 2012. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act (as amended) clearly mandates one AIIMS institution for one State. As long as J&K is not reorganized under twin State formula, there could be no two AIIMS in one State. Article 370 cannot be applied in this process as it would need amendment in the Act of Parliament either by amending the Act or by reorganizing J&K into twin states.
Prof Bhim Singh appealed the civil society and the Coordination Committee to take the movement to the logical conclusion.
Former president Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, YV Sharma lambasted the present dispensation as highly insensitive, elusive and contradictory in its behaviour while dealing with the situation arising out of the demand for setting up full-fledged AIIMS at Jammu.
In a statement Mr Sharma explained that Jammu was given the AIIMS on merits. Kashmir never demanded because they were having sufficient medical facilities and, it was nowhere in the agenda before the formation of the present Coalition Government. For the reasons better known to leaders of BJP, it was given to Kashmir. Mr Sharma reiterated that the agenda of alliance between the parties in Government clarifies the policies and never includes any administrative matter in it. By putting the matter of setting up of the AIIMS in Kashmir instead of Jammu , the BJP leader over looked the interests merely for becoming partners in sharing power. BJP always agitated against the respective governments in the State on the plea that the Kashmir centric policies of the Government resulted in gross discrimination against Jammu province. However, there own action exposed them completely and proved that they were power hungry.
He criticized the attempts of the BJP to play with the sentiments of the people first by distributing sweets, then by launching aggressive counter campaign against the coordination committee taking recourse to intimidation, lathicharge , teargas and arrest of innocent demonstrators, imposition of section 144 and indulging in vilification campaign against ACC in the name of hardships caused to the pilgrims.
Former MLA Mendhar Sardar Rafiq Hussain Khan fully supported the demand of the peoples of Jammu province for setting up AIIMS in Jammu additional to already sanctioned for Kashmir. He said taking view of the topography of the State and the population of Jammu province a separate AIIMS is a necessity of people of Jammu province. He said PDP has already supported the cause of Jammu people.
Meanwhile, Jammu West Assembly Movement led by Sunil Dimple, JK Youth Sharnarthi Action Committee led by R C Sharma and Bhagat Singh Force led by G D Sharma also condemned the police action on peacefully protesting people of Jammu for AIIMS and accorded full support to the AIIMS Coordination Committee.
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