STATE TIMES NEWS
Kathua: Reacting to three-day Jammu Bandh from 19th June by an apex body of civil society groups to protest move to shift a proposed unit of the premier medical institute from Jammu to Kashmir Valley, BJP State General Secretary and MLA Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia while addressing meeting of party workers said that political parties by raging controversy over the announcement of setting up of a branch of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the Valley are trying to create regional divide in Jammu and Kashmir after announcement by Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh that an AIIMS will be set up in Jammu before any other part of the State and has already put a lid on the controversy in view of reports that the medical institute might be set up in Srinagar first.
He criticised the political parties for unnecessarily creating furore and again announcing three day shutdown against what they termed as ‘discrimination’ with Jammu region.
He cautioned that such a move will create a wedge among three regions of State. Expressing disappointment over the handling of issue so far, Jasrotia said political parties are playing politics on AIIMS issue when the issue should not be politicised given that human lives are precious in both the regions. “This is shameful that politics is being played on the issue. Every patient should get quality healthcare but since our people living in a mountainous region, it becomes difficult for patients to travel to super specialty hospital especially when the Valley is cut off. Also, the magnitude of diseases viz a viz rise in cancer cases, cardiac ailments and chronic renal diseases are on rise, he added.Seeking to put a lid on the controversy in the wake of reports that AIIMS could be set up in Kashmir before Jammu, he said some people are trying to fish in the troubled waters but we are committed to the people of Jammu and we will fulfill the commitment made to them”, he said.
