Jogindernagar Protest Intensifies Against Proposed Shifting of NMPB Regional Centre to Solan.
Shimla:
A massive public protest was held in Jogindernagar on Tuesday against the proposed shifting of the Regional Cum Facilitation Centre (RCFC) of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) from the Herbal Garden at Jogindernagar to Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (Nauni) in Solan district.
The protest, organised by the RCFC Bachao Sangharsh Samiti at the Ramlila Ground, witnessed the participation of a large number of local residents, elected representatives, social organisations and members of various institutions. Raising slogans against the proposed relocation, protesters made it clear that any move to shift the centre out of Jogindernagar would face strong opposition.
The agitation, which entered its 19th consecutive day, has gradually gathered momentum, with protest leaders claiming that the campaign to retain the RCFC in Jogindernagar has now turned into a mass movement.
Rajya Sabha MP Extends Support
Rajya Sabha MP Anurag Sharma extended his support to the agitation and demanded that the Central Government withdraw the proposal to relocate the RCFC to Solan.
Addressing the gathering, Sharma said he stood firmly with the people of Jogindernagar in their campaign to protect the institution. He assured the protesters that their concerns would be raised at the highest possible level and said that, if required, the agitation could also be taken to Delhi.
“If necessary, the people’s movement can be taken to Delhi through a protest, and I will not leave the people of Jogindernagar alone in this struggle,” Sharma said while addressing the gathering.
Sharma said he had already held detailed discussions with the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister as well as the Ayush Minister regarding the proposed shifting of the RCFC. He further assured the gathering that, as a Member of Rajya Sabha, he would raise the matter prominently in the Upper House and convey the concerns of the people of Jogindernagar to the Central Government.
Speakers Call RCFC Part of Jogindernagar’s Identity
District Council member Kushal Bhardwaj and Ram Prakash Thakur, Managing Director of Mind Operation Academy, also addressed the protesters and extended their support to the movement.
Speakers said the RCFC was not merely an institutional facility but had become an important part of Jogindernagar’s identity. They argued that the centre had been established at the Herbal Garden after taking into account the geographical conditions, medicinal plant resources and requirements of the region.
They questioned the rationale behind shifting the facility to Nauni in Solan district and maintained that relocation would adversely affect the interests of Jogindernagar and the surrounding areas.
Rotary Club Joins Relay Hunger Strike
As the protest movement continued, members of the Rotary Club Jogindernagar also joined the ongoing relay hunger strike to express solidarity with the protesters.
The participation of social organisations and other sections of society has further broadened the agitation, with the protest committee maintaining that support for retaining the RCFC at Jogindernagar is steadily increasing.
Samiti Warns of Intensified Agitation
RCFC Bachao Sangharsh Samiti president Gurusharan Parmar thanked local residents, elected representatives, social organisations, educational and other institutions, and members of the public for their participation in the warning protest rally.
Parmar said the sustained participation of people from different sections of society demonstrated the strength of public sentiment against the proposed relocation.
He said the campaign had now developed into a mass movement and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the Central Government failed to respond positively to the demand for retaining the RCFC in Jogindernagar.
Protest leaders indicated that the agitation could be prolonged and continue throughout the year if no satisfactory decision was taken by the government.
Government’s Next Move Under Watch
With the protest entering its 19th consecutive day and support continuing to grow, attention has now shifted to the response of the Central Government and the concerned authorities.
The protesters are demanding that the proposed relocation of the RCFC from Jogindernagar to Nauni be withdrawn and that the institution continue to function from the Herbal Garden in Jogindernagar.
For the people leading the agitation, the issue has evolved beyond the question of shifting an office or institution, with the RCFC being described as an important component of Jogindernagar’s regional identity and its medicinal-plant-related activities.
The coming days are therefore expected to be crucial, as the government’s response could determine whether the agitation is brought to an end or escalates into a larger movement involving protests beyond Himachal Pradesh.
