AIIMS issue: Hunger strike enters 4th day in Jammu

The chain hunger strike launched by a coordination committee of various civil society groups spearheading agitation in support of setting up of an AIIMS in Jammu region, entered fourth day today.

Around 30 members from various groups which are a part of the AIIMS coordination committee today took their turn to sit on strike.

"It is fourth consecutive day of the strike. 30 members from various groups which are part of AIIMS coordination committee today took their turn to sit on the strike," said Abhinav Sharma, president of the J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu (BAJ).

The AIIMS coordination committee, an amalgamation of over 70 social, religious, political, and business organisations in Jammu, was established after the reported shifting of AIIMS from Jammu region to Kashmir.

To press for their demand of the institute to be brought back to Jammu, the AIIMS coordination committee, supported by the members of other civil society groups, had started its indefinite dharna and chain hunger strike.

"The chain hunger strike will continue indefinitely until and unless our demand of setting up of AIIMS in Jammu is not met," Sharma said.

The coordination committee members, supported by Congress and other Jammu-based parties, are on hunger strike in front of Maharaja Hari Singh's statue at Tawi Bridge since Friday.

"The people of Jammu are being pushed to the wall by the very same people who once claimed to be their soul voice," a member of the committee said.

Accusing the government of discriminating against the Jammu region, the coordination committee has decided to continue with its chain hunger strike unless the Centre and the state government make a formal announcement of the return of AIIMS to Jammu.