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| Agitation resumes over AIIMS Jammu, Deputy CM placates protesters | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, July 21: Members of a coordination committee for setting up AIIMS in Jammu resumed their agitation, even as Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh sought to allay apprehensions over the matter, saying both BJP and the Centre were "committed" on granting the institute to the region.
The committee had started a chain hunger strike on June 11, but on the written assurance of the Deputy Chief Minister Singh and state Forest Minister Bali Bhagat last month that AIIMS would be announced by July 20, it had deferred the protests.
AIIMS coordination committee (ACC), an amalgam of more than 70 religious, social, political, business and civil society groups is spearheading the agitation in support of setting up an AIIMS in Jammu region.
Congress and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party held anti-BJP protests and demanded resignation of Singh and Bhagat for their alleged failure to announce AIIMS for Jammu as per their written deadline of July 20.
"BJP is committed to its promise of grant of AIIMS to Jammu. It has been decided at the highest level. We are not going back on the written assurance given to the coordination committee. We are committed and reiterate that AIIMS will be granted to Jammu but it is only a matter of time as it is a policy decision", Singh told reporters.
"We appeal to the coordination committee to wait for some more days and suspend their programme of agitation for few days because AIIMS is a big issue and can take some more time to decide", he added.
Deputy Chief Minister said "I want to appeal through media to the people of Jammu that AIIMS issue is the major issue of the BJP as well. It is the issue of the BJP as well as the government. We are committed to the setting up of AIIMS in Jammu".
He said that the people of Jammu may have fears that the AIIMS announced for Kashmir, may have taken off, but no such process has begun for setting up of AIIMS in the Valley as of now.
He also appealed to the committee members to defer their agitation in view of the Amarnath Yatra, Vaisho Devi cave shrine visit and the tourism season.
"I appeal to people and members of coordination committee, who are on path of agitation, should defer any type of agitation over the issue in view of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra", he said adding, "It is the season of pilgrimage to Amarnath and Vaisho Devi cave shrines besides the tourism season so they should reconsider their decision of going on agitation".
"However protest is a democratic right and we can go for it but with a caution that any type of agitation should not create problems in smooth conduct of Amarnath Yatra", he added.
"I hope that everything will be put right soon and the AIIMS announcement would be made to keep in view the aspirations of the people of Jammu with it", he added.
"Announcement of AIIMS to this affect would be made soon. But what would be the modalities of AIIMS and when would announcement be made to this regard is awaited", he said.
Ruling out any credibility crisis for the government in the wake of its "failure" to meet deadline over the AIIMS issue Singh said that credibility crisis could have hit BJP had the party refused to grant AIIMS to Jammu. "We have said that we will come out with a clear cut answer over the demand of AIIMS by Jul 20, but it is taking more time beside there is no other motive", he said while explaining the reason for the delay in announcement. "Whether it will be announced during Parliament session or after that the decision is to be taken by the central leadership. The status of this matter will become clear in some time", he said. "We tried to contact coordination committee to hold talks with them over the issue so that we can motivate them to suspend their agitation for some more time, as Prime Minister was out of the country and now that parliament session has begun, that is the reason the decision was awaited". "I had given assurances to the coordination committee only after Centeral leadership gave a nod to it. We gave a time bound assurance in view of the situation arising at that point of time", he added. Over 10 members of the AIIMS Coordination Committee led by Abhinav Sharma, sat on the huger strike. "They have failed to announce the AIIMs for Jammu by the deadline set by the Government led by Deputy Chief Minister", Sharma told reporters. |
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