Cancellation of SMVDIME permission blow to Jammu’s aspirations: Raman Bhalla

Jammu, Jan 7: JKPCC Working President and former Minister Raman Bhalla has strongly criticized the cancellation of permission for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Medical College, terming it a deliberate and unjustified blow to the aspirations of the Jammu region.

He said the move has deprived thousands of students of advanced medical education, weakened the region’s healthcare infrastructure, and eliminated potential employment avenues. Bhalla described the decision as discriminatory and symbolic of the persistent neglect and step-motherly treatment meted out to Jammu, said a press release.

Highlighting the deepening unemployment crisis, Raman Bhalla said that recruitment across departments has virtually come to a halt due to the unresolved reservation policy, leaving thousands of educated youth frustrated and directionless. He stated that merit, fairness, and social balance must go hand in hand, but governance paralysis has worsened uncertainty. He also strongly advocated for regularization of daily wagers, casual laborers, and other temporary workers, who have served the government for decades on meagre wages without job security, social protection, or dignity.

Bhalla on Wednesday intensified his mass contact programmes across the RS Pura–Jammu South Assembly constituency, reaching out to people from diverse sections of society to understand their hardships, anxieties, and expectations. During these extensive door-to-door interactions and public meetings, Bhalla patiently listened to grievances and assured the people that the Indian National Congress remains firmly committed to justice, equity, democratic values, and inclusive development in Jammu and Kashmir.