Jammu observes shutdown

Massive public support for AIIMS and other vexed issues

A complete shutdown was observed on Wednesday in the region in protest against the reported shifting of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from Jammu to Srinagar and other vexed issues.

AIIMS Coordination Committee (CC), a conglomerate of several social, apolitical, religious, trade and business groups and led by High Court Bar Association, had given a call for a general strike in Jammu region asking the ruling alliance (BJP-PDP) partners to clear their stand on all issues including the shifting of AIIMS to Kashmir.
Surprisingly, the call has been overwhelmingly supported by over 70 groups.

Incidentally, federal Interior Minister, Raj Nath Singh, would be arriving in the winter capital, this morning to address his party activists as part of “Jan Kalyan Parv”. CC has sought a clarification from him over the issue.

“In protest against the failure of government to announce AIIMS to Jammu, we have announced a complete general strike on Wednesday”, chairman of the CC, Abhinav Sharma had said and added “we feel discriminated here”.

Mocking at BJP lawmakers, Sharma threatened to intensify his struggle if these elected members from Jammu region failed to come out with a public statement on their stand over the AIIMS, artificial lake and other vexed issues.

Appealing people to observe a complete shutdown, Rakesh Gupta, president Jammu Chamber and Industries (JCI) said that people of Jammu have now decided to come out on streets to get their rights. He, however, cautioned that there were some governmental agencies attempting to scuttle their programme.

While supporting the strike call, chairman Transport Association of Jammu, T S Wazir, said that his union extends the strike call against the shifting of AIIMS, sanctioned earlier for Jammu and later on shifted to Srinagar.

Various Sikh organizations had also extended support to the call and pleaded that the protest should not be taken as anti Kashmir.

“We are not against Kashmiris, we are seeking fulfillment of legitimate demand the people of Jammu”, said Avtar Singh Khalsa.

“We were not against the people of Kashmir getting AIIMS but it is equally important for the people here to have one such premier institute”, he maintained.