Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 1: Noting that “unelected people” cannot decide their future, residents from Handwara and Langate today staged a protest against the relocation of the Government Medical College (GMC).
The protestors termed the move a “sheer wastage” of money and accused the Government of indulging in “vote-bank politics.”
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A number of locals, under the banner of the Civil Society Forum Handwara, assembled at the Press Enclave, raising slogans in support of their demand and criticising the National Conference-led Government for the move.
One of the protestors, Aijaz Ahmad Sofi, while speaking to reporters, said that Home Minister Amit Shah had gifted GMC Handwara to them and that the elected Government cannot snatch it away.
“It is being constructed for the last 3 years now and when Handwara was given the GMC, we were happy and happily provided the land. Rs 67 crore have been allocated and nearly 26 buildings are under construction when the Government has decided to relocate it,” he said.
He added that the locals are against the relocation and would go to any extent to halt the move.
They said that a flood had occurred at the site where the GMC is coming up a few years ago, and following that, a campaign was started for its relocation.
“It is nothing but a conspiracy for the vote bank. We got it under the LG administration, and now the Government is snatching it from us,” they said.
It may be noted that the site has been declared unfit for the project, and a committee formed by the Government proposed a few new sites.
Out of these, Nathnusa has been selected as the new location for GMC Handwara, which was recently visited by Minister Sakeena Itoo, who confirmed the relocation.
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