SRINAGAR: In clearly a bid at one-upmanship, the NC-led government in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday announced that it would bear the expenditure for the treatment of the victim of Wednesdays acid attack in Srinagar.
Having been silent for a full two days, the government came up with the announcement to save face on feeling upstaged by the opposition PDPs national spokesman Dr. Sameer Kaul, who had swiftly made arrangements for the victim to be shifted to the Indraprahstha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.
Dr. Kaul had said that he would fund the victims treatment which, reports today suggested, involve multiple reconstructive surgical procedures.
By the time the government put its act together today, the victim was already in Delhi, with a team of doctors conducting detailed examinations.
No leader from the ruling parties had bothered to visit the young woman while she lay in the SMHS Hospital for two days, and the minister for social welfare, Sakina Itoo, met her family today, apparently taking the cue from the PDP president Mahbooba Mufti who had been prompt to personally inquire the patients welfare and assure assistance.
Now at least two high-profile ministers have been claiming credit to do the bidding of the chief minister who, they are at pains to insist, is grieved at the acid throwing incident.
While an official statement issued here said that minister of state for home, Nasir Aslam Wani, was personally overseeing all required arrangements the government has put in place to seek the best medical treatment for the victim, the minister for health Shaam Lal Sharma said that he had spoken to the Apollo Hospital asking it to spare no efforts in her treatment.
The minister said that the government would extend all possible assistance to the victim and bear the expenses for her treatment.
The young private school teacher was attacked in the Parraypora quarter of upper Srinagar on Wednesday morning by one Riyaz Ahmad Naath who had reportedly been stalking her for some time, and harassing her with marriage proposals which she is said to have repeatedly rejected.
The incident has caused outrage across Kashmir, and today the citys commercial hub of Lal Chowk shut down for two hours in solidarity with the victim.
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