news details |
|
|
| Jammu wailing over aiims | | | Satwant Singh Rissam | 7/15/2015 12:14:32 AM |
| The once held bastion of BJP was Jammu, however ever since it has entered into
an alliance with the JKPDP; it is losing its grip over Jammu. Of all the problems
added, latest to BJP's kitty is the AIIMS issue. The root of the problem lies to the Union Budget when Arun Jaitley announced setting up of AIIMS in J&K and later finance ministry clarifying that it was meant for Jammu region of J&K. This fact was further strengthened by Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS in the PMO and the BJP MP from Udhampur, when he delivered a speech of thanks for setting up of AIIMS by Central Govt. in Jammu. However, the twist came when after being sworn in as Chief Minister on March 1, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed released the Agenda for Alliance, which said that the Valley would get AIIMS, and Jammu an IIT and IIM.
Now this disclosure led to frustration and unrest in the minds of Jammu people which gave birth to AIIMS Coordination Committee comprising of political, social, religious and trade organisations & led by President of Jammu Bar Association. The surprising fact for many was when local BJP and RSS leaders became members of coordination committee spearheading the present agitation against BJP-PDP coalition government. The AIIMS Coordination Committee has organised two complete shutdowns against the shifting of AIIMS to Valley, and has ever since then intensified its campaign over these days. The issue of setting up of an AIIMS in Kashmir has taken such a turn that now it threatens to polarise Jammu in the same way as was done in 2002 Amarnath agitation. The clear reason stated by the leaders of Coordination Committee & residents of Jammu is that AIIMS was taken away to the Valley by the PDP whereas the PDP and its leaders insists AIIMS came to the Valley with the Agenda for Alliance it signed with BJP. This revelation of PDP has left BJP red faced in Jammu as BJP knows that escalation of the matter could potentially erode its base in Jammu, which gave it the highest-ever 25 seats in the assembly polls. In order to cope up with building pressure, BJP has alleged that the people associated with Coordination Committee are pursuing this all AIIMS controversy for their self interest & petty gains. Whereas the, President of Jammu Bar Association who is leading the AIIMS Coordination Committee said that, they have no objection to Kashmir getting an AIIMS, but Jammu shall get the one announced for it by the Centre during its Union Budget in Parliament. With every passing day the AIIMS Coordination Committee kept building up the pace & started mass contact programme all over Jammu region.
A chain hunger strike was also started, which was suspended as the panic struck BJP in Jammu when 72 hour band was called by AIIMS Coordination Committee and they approached Coordination Committee. The Committee members had a detailed meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir BJP delegation headed by the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh. After this step the bandh call was deferred till 20th July 2015 on the assurance of the Government that notification for setting up AIIMS in Jammu will be soon issued by Central Govt.
The AIIMS controversy has come in handy for all political opponents mainly Congress and National Conference, who see a possibility to humiliate Mufti’s PDP-BJP coalition government in the state. Several political parties like Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), state unit of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Kranti Dal, Bajrang Dal have also extended their support to the whole AIIMS issue. JKNPP even held a protest outside the Parliament in New Delhi over the AIIMS issue. This amalgamation of political forces has sent BJP on back foot in Jammu and forced BJP leaders to issue counter statements to maintain dominance. BJP leaders appear to be astonished and are instead advising people to ask Congress and NC leaders as to why they sabotaged the up gradation of GMC to AIIMS level, during earlier BJP regime when the foundation stone was laid by the then Health Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Clock is ticking and till now no notification has been issued for AIIMS in Jammu, as was assured by BJP leaders to AIIMS Coordination Committee. The unrest has again started gaining momentum as deadline is approaching. AIIMS Coordination Committee leaders & supporters have made it clear that if BJP failed to keep their words, an intensified agitation will be launched after 20th July, 2015.
Rumour mills are also working day & night, as some claim soon an end to alliance of PDP-BJP over AIIMS issue because some social groups in Kashmir have also started a debate over AIIMS issue. This has built a pressure on PDP too which is being forced to stay rigid as far the rights of Kashmir are concerned. The anger is clearly visible in both regions as, one region fights for and other against; the AIIMS controversy. This socio-political controversy is in a way affecting the social fabric too. The thing to be seen is whether social pressure yields the results or political beliefs wins the race.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
