YSRCP stages protest as cops stop rally

Rajamahendravaram: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders and activists staged a protest on Friday, as part of the ‘Chalo Government College’ agitation, demanding that the coalition government reverse its decision to privatise medical colleges.

The protest was jointly called by the YSRCP’s youth and student wings. A large number of party workers and leaders gathered at the residence of former MLA Jakkampudi Raja. As they began a rally towards Government Medical College, they were stopped by the police.

When their progress was halted, leaders and activists, including East Godavari district YSRCP president Chelluboina Venugopala Krishna, Amalapuram parliamentary constituency observer Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi, parliamentary constituency in-charge Dr Gudoori Srinivas, former MLA Dr Satti Suryanarayana Reddy, East Godavari District Youth Wing President Ramesh, and party leaders Jakkampudi Ganesh, Nandepu Srinivas, Medapati Sharmila Reddy, and Polu Vijayalakshmi, sat on the road and continued their protest.

Venugopala Krishna criticised the decision to use a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, which he said would lead to the privatisation of government medical colleges.

He called on public organisations to support their agitation. He said it was atrocious to turn medical education into a business. He further stated that the previous government had acquired 185 acres of land for the construction of 17 medical colleges and that there were no outstanding dues on the land acquisition. He added that administrative approvals were secured for the construction with an outlay of Rs 8,840 crore and that funds from NABARD were already sanctioned. The colleges are currently in various stages of construction, he said. He also criticised Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who he said failed to establish even a single medical college during his 15 years as chief minister.