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| Don't let AIIMS controversy fester | | | M.M.Khajooria | 4/30/2015 12:41:19 AM |
| | Jammu observed a complete 'Shut down' on Friday, the 24th of April to protest against the decision of the PDP-BJP government to "transfer" the AIIMS sanctioned by Government of India for Jammu to the Kashmir valley. The call given by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce was supported by various political parties, social and trade and transport organisations. Significantly, the Bandh call against the government partnered by the BJP was supported by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, two important components of the Sangh Parivar which also parented the BJP. It is a matter of record that the announcement of the sanction of AIIMS and IIT for Jammu formed part of the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitly's Budget speech in the Lok Sabha. Surely, a decision regarding the allocation of a project completely financed by the Government of India announced by the Union Finance Minister in the parliament cannot be upturned by the state government. And if the Finance minister were to violate the commitment him self, would he not expose himself to the charge of the breach of privilege of the house? It should not be forgotten that immense sanctity was attached to what is said and decided in the Indian parliament. Dr. Jatinder Singh MOS in PMO and the MP representing Kathua-Doda constituency has put the entire issue in perspective and also narrated the efforts that went into obtaining the sanction of AIIMS and IIT for Jammu. Addressing a public meeting, yes sir/madam a Public meeting in Kathua , he came down heavily on those "deliberately sending contradictory signals' on the issue. "It is ironic" he said that "the present government in Jammu and Kashmir takes pride in owning the IIT for Jammu which was sanctioned six months before the birth of this coalition government but refuses to own the AIIMS which was sanctioned just 24 hours before its birth with the presentation of Union Budget on 28th February and swearing in of this government on Ist March". So in both cases the Mufti led PDP-BJP coalition government had nothing to do with both these projects. There can really be no quarrel with the truth about the sequence of events and authenticity of facts disclosed by Jatinder Singh. Even otherwise, he is too much of a gentleman and being relatively a new entrant in the tribe of politicians reasonably free from the culture of duplicity and deceit that generally inform their behavioral pattern. . As for as Dy. Chief Minister Nirmal Singhs' intemperate assertion that "No body can snatch All India Institute of Medical Sciences from Kashmir", I would refrain from making any comment. The only unsolicited advise I can give him, as one time exception to the rule I strictly adhere to, is to immediately fire the person who drafted the statement. With this kind of friends around he needs no enemies. The AIIMS controversy has come as God sent to those engaged in the business of promoting conflict of interests between the people of Jammu and Kashmir regions. This is particularly true of the so called separatists and their fellow travellers. Starved of critical infra-structure as both regions are ,there is understandable competition for whatever comes from the central pool. Historically, ethnically, politically, topographically and on economic criteria there is very little that the people of two main regions of this huge landlocked geographical entity can afford to share. People from Kashmir can still avail of facilities in Jammu but the reverse is impossible particularly after the onset of terrorism quarter of a century ago. Those from Ladakh region routinely depend on Jammu based facilities. It will save lot of trouble and bad blood if Delhi were to recognise that two regions of Jammu and Kashmir needed to be simultaneously serviced . What is sanctioned for one should be allocated to the other also. In fact, in not two distant a future Ladakh will also come into the reckoning in many respects. The AIIMS controversy needs to be buried quickly before more damage in done. Whether the AIIMS was meant to be a "Thank you gift" to Jammu for having voted for the BJP in a big way or recognition of genuine needs of health care, Delhi should have remembered the lessons from Central University episode. As it is, the events are taking the same route. The solution therefore also was the same. Instead of pitching people of Jammu against those of Kashmir and driving the nascent coalition towards inter and intra party confrontation, let Chief Minister Mufti lead an of all party delegation to Delhi and impress upon the Prime Minister, who was publically committed to be our sole representative -" Corporater, MLA and the MP all' rolled in one" to sanction another AIIMS for Kashmir. As argued heretofore , this should become the accepted pattern for future, call it a concession under article 370, recognition of our special status or deference to the unique political, geographical or strategic configuration . |
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