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Fear of backlash forcing BJP to identify with Jammu sentiments
Harsh Dev Vs Pathania
6/30/2015 11:49:10 PM
Early Times Report

JAMMU, June 30: What an irony! Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) Harsh Dev Singh should have been hailed for the role he had been playing in the ongoing movement in Jammu for the establishment of AIIMS, but the BJP, which "cheated" people of Jammu region to fulfill its insatiable lust for power and placate Kashmiri leadership and Kashmiri people, has denounced him and attached motives. And the one who took the lead to target Harsh Dev was BJP MLA from Ram Nagar RS Pathania, who made it to the Assembly after defeating the Panthers Party three-time MLA. The JKNPP was the first political party that lambasted the local and central BJP leadership for shifting the promised AIIMS from Jammu to Kashmir. It was also the JKNPP that urged the people of Jammu region to observe bandh on April 24 - a call that was supported by all, barring the BJP and its ally. Besides, the JKNPP not once but thrice organized protest demonstrations in Delhi for the protection and promotion of the Jammu cause, as also to register its emphatic protest against the "anti-Jammu" BJP-led NDA Government and it continues to agitate for the issue.
Notwithstanding the fact that Pathania asserted that the BJP "unanimously supports setting up of setting up of an AIIMS in Jammu region" and that the "stand of BJP is very clear and all the BJP legislators had voiced unanimity for setting up of AIIMS at Jammu in the last budget session," his attack on Harsh Dev was misplaced and politically motivated. "The AIIMS in Jammu is the result of a long-drawn struggle by the party (BJP) and fringe-elements and opportunistic Panthers (Party) cannot steal the credit for the same by their out-of-sync antics and tried and rejected theories" he said while attacking the JKNPP.
He only ridiculed himself and his party by saying what he said and what he said was contrary to what the agenda of alliance envisaged. The agenda of alliance provided for the establishment of AIIMS in Kashmir. Not only this, this MLA from Ramnagar also conveniently overlooked the fact that the Governor's Address to the joint session of the state legislature had also said that the AIIMS will be set up in the Valley. It appears he didn't know that the Governor's Address was prepared and approved by the State Cabinet in which the BJP had five ministers. The attack only indicated the level of his desperation, frustration and fear. Reports emanating from Ramnagar suggest that the "BJP is becoming unpopular in the constituency by the day" and "Harsh Dev is regaining the lost space at a very rapid pace". People of the constituency say that "Harsh Dev Singh has not only been very active in the area, but also very active in the ongoing movement in Jammu region,", adding that "they committed a mistake by voting for a party that sold the honour and dignity of people of Jammu region just for the sake of a few loaves and fishes of office". The point is that the local population in the constituency has lost their confidence in the BJP and they are again tilting towards the JKNPP.
Pathania said that the "BJP has vowed to formally announce the setting up of the AIIMS in Jammu and the work on it would start from July 20". He doesn't inspire anyone. The reason is that it was the pressure from below that forced the BJP to give a written commitment that the AIIMS will be established in Jammu and that the Modi Government would announce it for Jammu latest by July 20. He conveniently ignored the April 24 ridiculous and provocative statement of BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh that no power on earth could "snatch AIIMS from Kashmir and it will not be established in Jammu". Had the people across Jammu region under the umbrella of the AIIMS Coordination Committee (ACC) not organized two massive bandhs, one candle light protest demonstration and chain hunger strike, the BJP leadership would not have done what it did on June 18 that led to the suspension of the 6-day-old chain hunger strike programme and withdrawal of the 72-hour-long bandh call. It was the people of Jammu region who brought the BJP to their knees.
The BJP leaders like Pathania should not forget that the ACC still continues unabated with its mass contact programme across Jammu region and this should be construed as a manifestation of its no confidence in the leadership of the BJP. After June 18, the ACC didn't take rest. On the contrary, its members continued to hold corner meetings at different places in Jammu region with a view to educating public opinion on the issue and maintaining pressure on the BJP. The June 29 statement of the ACC chairman, Abhinav Sharma, "though the BJP Ministers and MLAs committed in writing that a favourable decision will be taken on the issue before the end of third week of July, yet the AIIMS CC does not want to take any chance considering the nature of current political leadership" speaks for itself. It indicates that the ACC leadership didn't have full faith in the BJP leadership.
The BJP MLAs would do well to put pressure on the party high command and the Modi Government so that the decision on the AIIMS was taken within the stipulated period. It's no use criticizing the JKNPP and accusing it of confusing "the public opinion by issuing vague and out-of-context statements". He should remember that the JKNPP has been only supporting the movement unleashed by the ACC on May 21. Besides, he should stop misleading people of Jammu region by claiming that Sushma Swaraj had sanctioned 120 crores for AIIMS in 2004" and that "AIIMS for Jammu was a gift of Vajpayee government". For, the Vajpayee Government didn't sanction AIIMS for Jammu. It was for the first time on February 28, 2015 that an AIIMS was announced for Jammu.
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