Vijayawada: Medical and health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Thursday strongly condemned YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s remarks threatening to jail those involved in the construction of medical colleges under the PPP model, describing them as “utterly reprehensible” and reflective of political narrow-mindedness.

Reacting sharply, the minister said Jagan’s comments amounted to intimidation of companies willing to invest in public healthcare infrastructure. “If he has the courage, let him try to send me to jail. I am heading the department,” Satya Kumar said, adding that Jagan should seek a CBI inquiry if he genuinely believed any wrongdoing had occurred. “Let him go to court instead of issuing threats,” he said.

The minister questioned how a leader facing over 30 corruption cases and who had been to jail could indulge in what he termed “false propaganda,” and said such arrogance was the reason people voted Jagan out of power. He advised the former Chief Minister to point out specific policy flaws, if any, rather than resorting to threats.

Satya Kumar also accused Jagan of hypocrisy, recalling that the 108 ambulance service was handed over in PPP mode during the YSRCP regime. “Why was PPP acceptable then and objectionable now?” he said, demanding consistency in political criticism.