Farooq concerned on oxygen shortage in Jmu hospitals, NC for discussion on J&K situation

Jammu, September 15: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday termed the reported oxygen shortage in Jammu hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic worrisome and claimed that nothing substantial was being done to alleviate the problem, even as he and his colleagues in Lok Sabha sought a discussion in Parliament on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir, citing the "unprecedented situation" in the Union Territory in the wake of the "unilateral, unconstitutional and undemocratic rescinding" of Articles 370 and 35A.
Farooq Abdullah attended the Monsoon Session of Parliament for the first time after a gap of more than a year. He was welcomed by senior leaders, including Congress` Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, NCP`s Supriya Sule, DMK`s A. Raja, and Muthuvel Karunanidhi Kanimozhi, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi in the Lok Sabha chamber where he was sitting at his designated seat in the second row of opposition benches.
Replying to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Abdullah said the situation is reportedly quite worrisome particularly in the wake of the alarming spike in COVID-19 cases during the past one week.
"Reportedly, hospitals managing COVID-19 cases are facing acute shortage of oxygen, thereby putting the lives of critical coronavirus patients at risk. It is distressing to know that nothing substantial is being done to alleviate the problem," he said.
A party statement said Abdullah also raised the issue of 60 "dysfunctional" ventilators that are meant to provide life support to critically ill patients. He called for immediate necessary measures to strengthen the healthcare support system.
Farooq and two other NC MPs--Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi – also sought a discussion in Parliament on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir. They claimed that post August 5, 2019, there has been a "surge" in the incidents of violence and skirmishes on the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control almost on daily basis.
"The Government of India's (GOI) August 5, 2019 decision of shearing the erstwhile state of J-K of its constitutional position and its division and downgrading into two Union territories has resulted in an unprecedented situation in the entire region. They asserted that the measures taken by GOI, besides giving a lie to the sovereign commitments of the country to the people of J-K, have pushed the entire region into a precarious situation," a statement issued by the NC said.
The NC MPs in the Lok Sabha said there has been no thaw in violence-related incidents inside J-K.
"So far, the situation in the entire region has brought to front our valid apprehensions; the promised development, creation of jobs is still not perceptible on the ground," the statement said.
"On the contrary, the industries, handicrafts, tourism, and other vital sectors of the entire region are reeling under huge losses. The MPs also said the measures undertaken on 5th of August last year have failed to bring promised dividends and that the situation is converse to what was promised by the ruling dispensation in the Parliament. Hundreds are languishing in jails far away from their homes," it added.
The MPs said the gags and curbs on the internet continue to hamper students' access to the digital world.
"The matter is of urgent nature and calls for immediate discussion," they demanded.