June is midway and the monsoon has broken over Maharashtra thus giving the much needed relief and would be another two weeks when it hits Jammu and Kashmir. The political climate too has seen such relief with Govt assuring to settle the contentious issue of AIIMS for Jammu within 20 days. Last year when the budget was announced, there was elation of mood in Jammu and Kashmir over the allocation given to the State by BJP-led Govt in New Delhi. With the passage of time uncertainty widened with the issue becoming more contentious. The members of AIIMS Coordination Committee -formed to get the institute for Jammu only are sitting on a chain hunger strike and they have declared three days Bandh. Traders too have gone on three days closure because of the prevailing weather conditions with mercury hovering above 40 degrees Celsius. The agitation looked like a prelude to a long drawn stir which reminded one of 2008 agitation to get land for Amarnath Shrine, which later on lost its steam midway. This time also the whole gamut of AIIMS has turned into a political joke, with Govt assuring to bring in positive response from Centre on the issue. This is no victory for any one. But the people who spearheaded the agitation should force the government to bring in an accountable healthcare system. If the logic goes we know that no state has two AIIMS. An institution of such magnitude is not a referral institution but an institution of higher research for which there is no such environment in Jammu and Kashmir. Everyone knows that academic climate has remained away from the State. And as promised if the outcome does not come favourable as perceived by the AIIMS Coordination Committee, will its members resort to agitation again?
