Jammu, May 27: Yet another bandh was today observed in Jammu against shifting of AIIMS to Kashmir with politicians of all hues taking credit for the so called successful bandh and castigating the coalition government.
Jammuites on the other hand feel elated that they have once again presented a united front against what they call discrimination with the region.
But the million Dollar question remains whether the so called Bandh is actually a solution or a problem in itself. Any right thinking person would never support a shutdown as it halts the wheels of the progress and serves only the political opportunists who want to score a point over their rivals while the common man instead of getting benefitted suffers due to the shutdown.
People who feel alienated, discriminated or sidelined have numerous other novel ways to show their resentment instead of halting everything that implies progress.
What has today’s bandh achieved for the common man except for the politicians and so called leaders who have just scored a point over the coalition government forgetting that till yesterday they themselves were at the helm of affairs and failed to do justice with the region.
Our contention is to think positive and adopt positive ways for achieving the results instead of resorting to negative ways of shutting down everything to put the common man to numerous problems on the day and later.
A single day of bandh results in huge economic loss to the state and adds to our miseries as state gets shorter on funds to propose new projects and initiate other developmental works.
At the same time one must also think positively about the requirements of other regions because they too are our brethren and belong to our state requiring everything that we need.
Hence resorting to instant bandhs is no solution but a negative attitude to solve our problems by putting others to trouble.
What have we gained by the bandh and chaka Jam even as thousands of tourists, pilgrims and other needy people or patients have suffered numerous problems during this hot summer while those calling for bandh took a sadistic pleasure to satisfy their egos?
It is better to put our heads together and think positively about the requirements of all the regions and find the best workable solution without damaging our economy and smooth life.
Kashmir valley has been witnessing regular bandhs since decades resulting in huge loss to the exchequer as well as to people and derailing the economy while the problem that was likely to get resolved has further aggravated through these bandh calls.
However the government must not ignore the sentiments of Jammuites but involve all the sections of the society of both the regions to find a lasting solution as we must contribute positively towards the society rather than keep cribbing and resort to economic loss which ultimately hits us back.
It would be in the fitness of things that the coalition government of the state and the NDA government sits together and decides once for all what is meant for whom and instead of playing politics try to do justice not only with Jammu and Kashmir but also Ladakh which has been a mute spectator for a long time now in this debate.
While the fact is that Kashmir has a well equipped medical facility in the shape of SKIMS since long Jammu has always lacked a good hospital and thus AIIMS for Jammu was a natural choice.
Earlier the Ghulam Nabi Azad government had tried to remove the discrimination by establishing Super Specialty Hospital in Jammu but it took longer to setup and lacks in the facilities that are meant to compete with institutions like AIIMS.
However at the same time it is also a fact that Kashmir remains cut off from the rest of the world for longer periods during winter season and needs a good medical facility thus their demand of AIIMS for Kashmir seems justified too but giving two top class medical facilities to one region is also injustice.
There is another view which calls for setting up of the AIIMS at a centrally located place easily approachable by all the three regions but going by the topography of the state this seems only a political gimmick rather than a genuine solution.
Ladakh on the other hand seems most justified for its demand of a top class medical facility in the region as it is a place that is completely cut off from rest of the world for more longer periods and has places which remain cut off throughout the year and deserves a good medical institute but shifting AIIMS to Ladakh would be foolish as it cannot serve other two regions.
Hence the most justified solution seems to sit together and deliberate over the issue without bringing politics and regional bias into it and establish AIIMs where it suits the most. This is very necessary because delaying it further would only aggravate the situation and create more trouble and bad blood between the two regions which does not augur well for the state if the government actually wants to change the regional politics dominating the state politics for ever.
It is also hoped that people in both the regions would maintain calm and not play in the hands of the political manipulators lest the state witnesses another 2008 type agitation which would be a disaster for the peace plans of the new government.