Jammu: Protesting against the shifting of the proposed premier health institute to Kashmir, the AIIMS coordination committee (ACC) here has called for a three-day complete 'Jammu bandh' from July 31 even as its chain hunger strike continued for the fourth day on Friday.
"The ACC held a meeting today and decided to call for a complete Jammu bandh from July 31 to August 2 to protest the government decision of shifting of the AIIMS from Jammu to Kashmir," said Abhinav Sharma, president of ACC, an amalgamation of over 70 civil society groups spearheading the agitation.
Sharma told a news agency that the decision to call for the bandh was taken after the BJP leadership of the state, including Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and Forest Minister Bali Bhagat, failed to fulfil their commitment of getting an "appropriate order" from the Centre to establish AIIMS in Jammu.
"The BJP leadership has befooled the people of Jammu, they had given us written assurance that they would get an appropriate order from the central government to establish AIIMS in Jammu on or by July 20, but they failed to fulfil their commitment," said Sharma.
Meanwhile, the chain hunger strike resumed by the ACC entered fourth consecutive day today with 20 people taking their turn to sit for the protest.
The ACC had earlier on June 18 temporarily suspended its hunger strike following a written assurance by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and his cabinet colleagues. The ministers had said they would get an "appropriate order" for setting up of AIIMS in Jammu on or before July 20, Sharma said.
The ACC resumed its agitation from July 21, after the BJP leaders failed to fulfil their commitment on the issue.
"It is the fourth day of the strike today and people from various sections have taken their turn today to sit on the hunger strike in support of the AIIMS demand. We will continue our agitation it till our demand is met," said Sharma.
Accusing BJP of betraying the people of Jammu, the ACC members said the citizens would teach the party a lesson in the days to come."BJP won 25 seats in Jammu on the promise of ending discrimination with Jammu region, but since they came to power the discrimination has increased manifold. They promised to develop Jammu but in the past five months the condition of Jammu has worsened," said Prem Kumar, a member of ACC.
He said the people of Jammu see the shifting of the proposed AIIMS as the biggest betrayal by the saffron party.
"I was a strong BJP supporter, but this party has stabbed us in the back, the common public will teach it a lesson," said Kumar.
Apart from the 72 hours of Jammu bandh, the ACC will be holding a 'Lalkaar rally' and a torch procession in Jammu.
