Demanding immediate scrapping of cases against the protesters in 2008 Amarnath land row, on the lines of amnesty given to stone-pelters of Kashmir Valley, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said the issue should not take centre stage in the upcoming Amarnath yatra.
"Please release those stone pelters, but do not forget to release those youths, on whom cases were slapped in 2008 Amarnath land row in Jammu. There are dozens of such youths against whom cases are still going on," Singh said.
The Union Minister was addressing a gathering of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) to pay tributes to famous poet and writer Sarwanand Premi, who was killed by militants over two decades ago in the Valley.
"This amnesty (amnesty scheme formulated by J&K government to release stonepelters in Kashmir after withdrawing their FIRs last year) should be applied to them (Jammu youth) also. How have we forgotten such a major issue. It is one state and one country, how can there be two different rules to apply to youths of two regions," he said.
"The law under which we are releasing those people in Kashmir Valley, that should be applied to them (Jammu youth) here also," Dr Singh said.
Apprehending re-occurrence of such a situation, he said as the Amarnath yatra is approaching, this issue should not take centre stage.
"Seven years ago, some youths, who came out to hold peaceful protest during Amarnath yatra in 2008, were slapped with FIRs and they are in such a situation that they failed to get the jobs due to those FIRs," he added.
"We had to intervene ourselves in case of two such youths...The government should release them from the burden of their FIRs as they have released the stone pelters and others involved in some smaller cases in Kashmir," he said, adding "Am I asking for too much - what is the hesitation - justice should be done - it should not appear to have been done".
On the issue of AIIMS, Singh said, "All of us have a stake in maintaining peace in the region. When there is disturbance in environment of peace, it is always said that it is a conspiracy. We should not become victims of another conspiracy in such a situation due to discrimination. Please think over the issue".
"If somebody is going to decide where KPs are going to live in Kashmir, KPs are going to decide where he is going outside the Kashmir. All things should be done as per the law and equal rights", he added.
"If one AIIMS is set up in the state, there can be two such institutions in the state, Kashmir has already one such institute which has been set up in 1975. The name of the institute is Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS). It is on the pattern of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) of Pondicherry," he said.
"Logically, academically, scientifically, how can there be two such institutes in one region. Still, we do not have any objection but Jammu should get its due," he said.
"We have entered into power not to enjoy power but to seek empowerment of power to the people," he added.
