National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Friday hit out at PDP-BJP alliance for its indifference towards mass aspirations, saying diversionary and delaying tactics over another All India Institute of Medical Sciences for the State to be established in Jammu has forced the people of Jammu to take to streets.“Our stand is clear, we hail AIIMS for Kashmir and want another one for Jammu”, Mr Rana said while addressing newly nominated functionaries of the reconstituted Provincial, and District Units of National Conference besides its Youth, Women and SC/OBC Wings at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan, here.He particularly objurgated BJP for betraying the trust of the Jammu people, saying its clandestine moves to break resolve of those spearheading AIIMS movement by gaining time has rebounded and boomeranged. “Deputy Chief Minister had given a written commitment to the Coordination Committee that the second AIIMS will be sanctioned for Jammu by 20th July but their undertaking did not carry weight; they have lost their credibility”, Mr Rana said while observing that the mounting public pressure has left no option for the PDP-BJP government in the State and the BJP led NDA government at the Centre but to concede their legitimate demand. He exuded confidence about the will of the people prevailing in getting one more AIIMS to be established at Jammu. “Ultimately people will triumph and deceptive BJP politics will take a nose dive”, he observed.
Expressing concern over unfortunate incidents in Rajouri, he referred to undemocratic move of the government in preventing NC Sadhbavna Yatra to Rajouri yesterday and said the action was prompted by the fear of PDP-BJP alliance getting exposed for inciting passions to create wedge between various segments of society. He cautioned against divisive politics by the coalition in bid to divert the attention of the people from its failures on all fronts.Senior National Conference leaders including State Vice Presidents Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah Bukhari, Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, Th Kasahmira Singh, State Secretary Th Rachhpal Singh and former minister Mr Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo attended the joint meeting as special invitees.
Apart from organizational matters, the high level meeting deliberated in detail on the overall political situation prevailing in the State.In their addresses, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Mr Sajjad Kichloo, Mr Rattan Lal Gupta, Th Kashmira Singh, Th Rachpal Singh, Babu Rampal, Mr Ajaz Jan, Mrs Satwant Dogra and Dr Kamal Arora, MLA highlighted the crucial role of National Conference in steering out the State from the mess created by PDP, BJP duo They also made a fervent appeal to cadre to further strengthen the party at grass roots level and reach out to people.
The senior leaders asked the PDP-BJP combine to appreciate paradigm shift in political discourse which has elevated from routine politicking to aspirational politics, where peoples’ yearnings remain supreme. They reiterated that National Conference has never ever discriminated any region or section of society and it is in this context that the party has been endevarouring to seek justice for all the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “We believe in single entity of the state and opportunities of progress and development to all”, they said in one voice.The meeting was attended by the newly nominated office bearers of all the wings at the Provincial level besides District Presidents and Secretaries.Earlier, a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to Giani Ishar Singh, former Zonal President National Conference, Kathua, who passed away the other day.