Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 18: Several Panthers party activists led by JKNPP chairman, Harshdev Singh, who tried to move towards Parliament House from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to register their protest over shifting of AIIMS announced for Jammu region to Kashmir, by the BJP-PDP coalition Government in J&K, were arrested today by Parliament Street Police to desist them from proceeding towards Parliament House
Earlier, Panthers Party activists staged dharna at Jantar Mantar demanding AIIMS for Jammu. When they tried to march towards Parliament House, the heavy contingent of police deployed on the spot arrested several activists and foiled their attempt to proceed towards Parliament House. Besides, JKNPP chairman, others arrested by the police include Delhi Pradesh president, Rajiv Jolly Khosla, secretary, J&K Panthers Trade Union, Purshottam Parihar, spokesman, Young Panthers, Gagan Pratap Singh, and Neeraj Gupta, Zonal president, Jammu District.
Addressing the party activists at Jantar Mantar, Harshdev Singh lambasted the unholy and unethical alliance of BJP and PDP in J&K which had consummated with the sole objective of sharing the loaves of power. Rebuking the BJP for its cowardly submission to the whims of its coalition partner, Singh said that the AIIMS shall not be allowed to be shifted from Jammu. He reiterated the resolve of the JKNPP to continue its crusade for ending all forms of discrimination against Jammu region and for ensuring equitable share to it in all fields.
Balwant Singh Mankotia, State president, JKNPP, vowed to continue the protests against the shameless surrender of the BJP on the issue of AIIMS. He also ridiculed the cowardly surrender of BJP on Dogra Certificate, grant of State Subject rights to West Pakistan Refugees and conferment of voting rights upon them.
Later, a memorandum signed by Harshdev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia was submitted to Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister, at his residence urging his immediate intervention to set up AIIMS in Jammu as was announced by Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley in Jammu itself.
Follow our WhatsApp channel