Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 18: The State Government today categorically stated that prestigious AIIMS will also be established at Jammu and it will approach the Central Government to issue appropriate orders in this regard by July 20 or before that. A written assurance in this regard was given by State Government to the Coordination Committee for AIIMS headed by advocate Abhinav Sharma, president Jammu High Court Bar Association which is spearheading the agitation for establishment of separate AIIMS for Jammu and had given 72 hours Jammu bandh call from tomorrow.
With this assurance, the one month old stalemate over AIIMS issue ended and following the announcement by the Government, the Coordination Committee also deferred its 72 hours Jammu bandh call and present agitation.
The written assurance regarding the issuance of appropriate order by Union Government up to July 20 or before was given to Coordination Committee in a meeting here, today by Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh and Minister of Forests and Social Welfare, Bali Bhagat. The document signed by Dr Nirmal Singh and Bali Bhagat sought time up to July 20 by which or before an appropriate order in this regard will be issued by the Union Government.
The Coordination Committee was represented by its chairman Abhinav Sharma, Advocate, president Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Rakesh Gupta, secretary general CCI, Arun Gupta, Petrol Tankers Association president, Anan Sharma, Transporters Union president and Ex MLC Tralochan Singh Wazir and others.
In the written assurance the Government stated, “I Dr Nirmal Singh, Deputy Chief Minister along with Bali Bhagat, Minister, Sat Sharma, MLA, Rajesh Gupta, MLA, Ravinder Raina MLA after detailed deliberations with president and leadership of AIIMS Coordination Committee Jammu in order to resolve the ongoing agitation in Jammu do hereby commit and confirm the setting up of AIIMS in Jammu and shall obtain appropriate orders in this regard from Government of India by or before July 20, 2015”.
“In view of the above commitment, we call upon the Coordination Committee to defer the bandh call and agitation calendar issued by it”, it added.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Abhinav Sharma said that Coordination Committee for AIIMS was constituted on May 20 and since then it was on constant struggle for establishment of separate AIIMS for Jammu. He said confusing and contradictory statements were coming from Government side on the establishment of AIIMS in Jammu due to which the Committee was forced to intensify struggle to take it to logical conclusion.
He said that Committee had earlier also demanded a written assurance from Government regarding establishment of AIIMS at Jammu and after the Government gave this assurance to the Committee it deferred the agitation as well as bandh call till July 20 by which the Government made a commitment to get an appropriate order from Centre for setting up of separate AIIMS at Jammu. Abhinav Sharma, who was flanked by other members of Coordination Committee said that they held detailed talks with Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Forests and Social Welfare. “Both the Ministers gave in writing that the order regarding the establishment of AIIMS will be issued by Union Government and sought time up to July 20 to defer the present agitation and we agreed to it”, he added.
He said as it was an emergency meeting so it was not possible to accommodate the large number of members of Coordination Committee in it but members of Core Committee were invited in the meeting and it agreed to defer the hunger strike and agitation.
He warned that in case the Government failed to fulfill its commitment by July 20 the Coordination Committee will resume agitation.
Abhinav Sharma repeated this assurance given by Deputy Chief Minister and Bali Bhagat to the members of CC during negotiations later at the venue of hunger strike at Tawi bridge while addressing a gathering there and Dr Singh offered juice to members of Coordination Committee sitting on fast. He expressed the hope that Government will fulfill the assurance. He also read the written assurance given by the Deputy CM and Bali Bhagat before the gathering.
Addressing the gathering, Rakesh Gupta president CCI Jammu said that the meeting of Coordination Committee with Deputy CM and Bali Bhagat was held in a conducive atmosphere and they gave a written assurance and agreed all the conditions on the basis of which the agitation was deferred.
However, another Coordination Committee member Advocate Surjit Singh Salathia who had been also invited for the talks later told reporters that he boycotted the meeting as he favoured that the bandh should continue till an announcement is made by a senior Union Minister.
The Government side besides Dr Singh was also represented by Speaker Kavinder Gupta, Bali Bhagat, MLAs Sat Sharma, (CA), Rajesh Gupta and Ravinder Raina. Besides newly appointed BJP national secretary, Farooq Khan and Party chief spokesperson, Sunil Sethi advocate and spokesperson Arun Gupta were also present during the negotiations.
Taking to reporters after the meeting with AIIMS Coordination Committee, Dr Nirmal Singh said that BJP showed equal concern for establishment of AIIMS at Jammu. He said the Government sought time up to July 20 from Coordination Committee and till that time the Government will seek an appropriate order from Centre for establishment of separate AIIMS for Jammu.
The same assurance was given by Dr Nirmal Singh and Bali Bhagat to the members of Coordination Committee at the venue of hunger strike in front of Maharaja Gulab Singh Statue at Tawi bridge.
He said that after detailed discussions with members of Coordination Committee it has been resolved and confirmed that AIIMS will also be established at Jammu.
He said establishment of AIIMS was same concern for BJP as for Coordination Committee but there was some communication gap. “I along with a group of Ministers have already met Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in this regard and in principle all agreed that there is need for AIIMS in Jammu and our resolve has been principally strengthened by your support”, he added.
Earlier, addressing the gathering Bali Bhagat said that BJP was and is committed for establishment of AIIMS at Jammu and announcement in this regard was also already made by Union Minister in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh.
Later, the Deputy CM and Bali Bhagat offered juice to members of Coordination Committee who were on hunger strike to break their fast.
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