BackAIIMS row: Hunger strike enters seventh day
AIIMS coordination committee has given a three-day complete Jammu bandh call starting 31 July
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Jammu: The chain hunger strike resumed by the AIIMS coordination committee (ACC) demanding the setting up of an AIIMS in Jammu entered its seventh consecutive day on Monday with over 60 persons taking their turn to sit for the protest.
“Today we’ve so far the largest group of people sitting for a day-long hunger strike. We have members from the Jammu Bar Association and also from the Jammu Gurudwara Committee," AIIMS Coordination Committee Chairman Abhinav Sharma told PTI.
He said that seven days have passed since the ACC resumed the strike on 21 July, after calling off their first leg of strike - but not one state government representative has so far tried to contact them. ACC, an amalgamation of over 70 organisations, is leading the agitation for setting up of an AIIMS in the Jammu region. They have given a three-day complete Jammu bandh call starting 31 July. It will be third bandh observed over the issue in the Jammu region since April this year.
Sharma expressed hope that the bandh would be a grand success as the ACC has the support of all trade and transport unions of the region. “All the trade and transport unions have extended their support to the ACC. We are hopeful that the three days of Jammu bandh would be sufficient to send a strong message to the government and especially to BJP, that the people of Jammu no longer would tolerate back-stabbing," he said.
A complete bandh was earlier observed on 24 April and 27 May after which Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh had given a written assurance that an AIIMS will be announced for Jammu by the Centre on or before 20 July. The ACC resumed its agitation on 21 July after no such announcement was made within that time.
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