Hitting out at BJP for ‘abusing its mandate and bruising the Jammu pride’, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Friday cautioned that any attempt to undermine the demand for additional AIIMS in Jammu will have serious ramifications.
“The Centre should come clear on the issue of AIIMS and any ambiguity will lead to further chaos which will be beyond the control of PDP-BJP led government to handle,” he said while addressing a press conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this evening.
While reiterating and reemphasizing the National Conference stand about AIIMS, Rana declared, “We hail AIIMS for Kashmir and want another AIIMS for Jammu keeping in view the peculiar situation in Jammu and Kashmir on account of health infrastructure in both the regions of the state.”
He described the statement of Union Health Minister J P Nadda on AIIMS as vague and ambiguous, saying that by indulging in jugglery of words, an attempt has been made to hoodwink the public opinion.
The NC leader regretted over the Minister and the BJP undermining the sagacity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by twisting the facts. He said the Union Minister has been uncharitable for both Kashmir and the Jammu divisions by saying that an AIIMS will be established in J&K with similar facilities in both the division. “What does he want to convey”, he asked while reiterating nothing short of two full fledged AIIMS would be accepted by the people of the State. He added that by going vague on the issue, the Centre has diluted the status of AIIMS for both Kashmir and Jammu.
Rana advised the BJP not to behave like ostrich, saying that stands completely exposed before the people. “The gimmicks, emotional blackmail or the sentimental exploitation will no more work now”, he added.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
To a question, the Provincial President said if the election compulsion can compel the BJP led government in New Delhi to sanction two AIIMS for Bihar, what is the hitch in meeting the demand of the people of Jammu. He cited the example of Central University and said that after respecting the aspiration of the people of Jammu, the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led an All Party Delegation to the Prime Minister and got another Central University sanctioned for Jammu. “This is how the leadership should respond to the yearning of people of the sensitive state of Jammu and Kashmir,” he maintained.
Rana described the BJP as ‘ungrateful’, saying it the massive mandate given by the people of Jammu has been responded with contempt. “The saffron party has been exploiting the Jammu sentiment for the past six decades and when time of reckoning came, they betrayed and back-stabbed the people”, he said while terming the present dispensation in the state as ineffective and fraught with the danger of fragmenting Jammu and Kashmir.
The NC Provincial President said they cannot remain a mute spectator to dangerous direction being given to the State by the PDP-BJP duo and if need be, “we will do all possible to steer out Jammu and Kashmir from the prevailing morass”. He said the people of the State will have to stand up and bring back the government on tracks as it has got derailed.
He lauded the people of Jammu for showing high degree of unity and solidarity by observing complete and peaceful bandh. “This should open the eyes of the ineffective, irresponsible and insensitive PDP-BJP government.