VHP, Bajrang Dal call for 'Jammu Bandh' over AIIMS issue

Jammu, April 23: Lashing out at the BJP-PDP coalition government for its "discriminatory" attitude, VHP and Bajrang Dal too called for 'Jammu Bandh' tomorrow protesting against the shifting of proposed AIIMS from Jammu to Kashmir Valley.

The VHP has called for a complete bandh in the district tomorrow in protest against the shifting of AIIMS campus from Jammu to Srinagar, senior vice president of the organisation's J&K unit Rajesh Gupta said on Thursday.

This relocation will deprive the people of Jammu of better health care facilities, he said.

This is the first time that Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have called for bandh against a BJP government. [BJP betrayed people of Jammu region: JKNPP]

The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) had called for a bandh in Jammu tomorrow.

The call was supported by Congress, National Conference (NC), Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).

"There is discriminatory attitude of the state government towards Jammu in general and settlement of PoJK and West Pak Refugees in particular", Gupta said.

"VHP and Bajrang Dal jointly appeal to the general public of Jammu to keep all types of business establishments closed for the whole day and public transport off," he said.

VHP resented the implementation of new recruitment policy of contractual appointments proposed by the government, Gupta said, adding that it will jeopardise the future of educated unemployed youth aspiring for gazetted and non-gazetted appointments.

He further reiterated that if the genuine demands of the people of Jammu are not fulfilled soon, VHP will chalk future course of action in consultation with all its sister and supporting organisations.

"The decision to call for protest bandh has been taken in the extraordinary apex body meeting of J&K VHP held on Thursday at its headquarters in Jammu which was attended by president Leela Karan Sharma, working president Hem Raj Khajuria and patron Ramakant Dubey," he said.

PTI