Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 4: Daring Bhartiya Janta Party for an open debate with it on the purported claims over AIIMS in Jammu, the AIIMS Coordination Committee today alleged that the ruling party was trying to suppress the ongoing mass agitation by force.
The ACC also categorically refused to hold any negotiations with the BJP State unit leaders over the issue and stressed that Union Health Minister J P Nadda should personally visit Jammu and make a written statement sanctioning full-fledged AIIMS in Jammu for ending the impasse.
“The arguments made by BJP that AIIMS has been sanctioned for Jammu is totally baseless and misleading as they have failed to produce any document in support of their claim,” said Abhinav Sharma, chairman of the AIIMS Coordination Committee, while addressing a press conference along with other members of the ACC, including president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Rakesh Gupta and Chairman of the Transporters Association Trilochan Singh Wazir, here today.
Claiming that no formal proposal for setting up full-fledged AIIMS in Jammu has so far been even moved by the Union Health Ministry, Abhinav Sharma alleged that clash of interests between senior BJP leaders from J&K led to the chaos over the issue.
The AIIMS CC members strongly condemned the imposition of Section 144 by the local administration just to stop the peaceful protests and alleged that the Police was using brutal force on the instance of BJP Ministers and MLAs. “BJP MLAs are using their musclemen for forcing the traders
to open their shops and no action is being taken against the ruling party goons whereas peaceful protesters are being subjected to lathicharge and teargas shelling on the directions from BJP headquarters in Kachi Chawni,” alleged Rakesh Gupta and claimed that such brutal use of force by the Police was not seen even during the Amarnath land agitation in 2008.
Informing that future course of action of the AIIMS CC would be announced tomorrow evening, Rakesh Gupta reiterated that the struggle would continue till the logical conclusion. “We give a challenge to BJP for an open discussion with ACC on the issue of AIIMS and let they explain how our demand is not justified,” he added.
In response to a question on the appearance of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah at the ACC dharna venue yesterday, both Rakesh Gupta and Abhinav Sharma sought to clarify that the Coordination Committee was non-political. “Farooq Abdullah remained at the Dharna site for hardly 90 second in absence of ACC leaders and he raised patriotic slogan saying `Bharat Mata Ki Jai and nothing political’,” they said.
Refusing to hold PDP equally responsible for depriving Jammuites from AIIMS, Abhinav Sharma said that they have no complaint against others but BJP, which was given historic mandate by Jammu people for addressing their issue. “PDP is fulfilling its agenda at the cost of Jammuites,” he added.
Meanwhile, addressing the people at Dharna venue near Tawi Bridge, Abhinav Sharma alleged that BJP was digging its own grave by adopting a brazenly anti-Jammu attitude to appease its masters in the Valley. “The people of Jammu region will punish it like they punished other parties in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections to avenge their humiliations,” he said and added that Jammuites would not deviate from the path of constitutional agitation until they achieve their most cherished goal.
Abhinav Sharma also ridiculed the BJP claim that the ongoing agitation for establishment of AIIMS in Jammu was being sponsored by the Congress, NC and the Panthers Party. “ACC was, is and shall always remain non-political supported by the civil society. We have been even urging the BJP Ministers and MLAs, who gave us a written assurance that they would bring a full-fledged AIIMS for Jammu latest by July 20, to sit on dharna and make common cause with the ACC. Our stand continues to remain the same,” he said.
The gathering was also addressed by BS Salathia, Narayan Singh, Pavitar Singh, Inderjeet Khajuria, Sardar Trilochan Singh Wazir, Rakesh Gupta, Sham Lal Langar, Arun Gupta, Devinder Chowdhary, Dr Ajay Chrungoo and others.
Those who sat on chain hunger strike today, included Madan Lal Sharma, President Sarpanch Association, Block Miran Sahib, Chowdhary Kulbir Singh, President Sarpanch Association, Block R S Pura, Sarpanchs Pawan Raina, Ravinder Singh, Kamaljit Singh Saini, Kishore Sharma, Bachan Singh, Bahadur Lal, Banarsi Dass, Rashpal Singh Gill, Vinod Sharma, Bawa Ram, Amarjit Singh, Kulwant Singh, Kura Ram, Ajit Singh, Comerade Saroop Singh and Kirpal Singh.
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