Will intensify protest until govt withdraws medical colleges privatisation decision: Jagan

Amaravati, Sep 19 (PTI) YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday said that his party will intensify its protest against the TDP-led NDA government until it withdraws its decision to privatise government medical colleges.

The YSRCP held a 'Chalo Medical College' protest across Andhra Pradesh, opposing the government's alleged move to privatise government medical colleges.

YSRCP's opposition is to the alleged privatisation of 10 medical colleges, part of the 17 medical colleges, established during the previous Jagam Mohan Reddy-led government between 2019 and 2024.

"Our fight is for the health security of the poor and the rights of students. Until the government withdraws its decision to privatise medical colleges, our struggle will only intensify," said Reddy in a release.

He condemned the NDA alliance government for allegedly 'brutally' suppressing peaceful protests held across the state against privatisation of government medical colleges.

Reddy questioned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's intent in unleashing alleged lathi (baton) charges, arrests, house detentions and police excesses on students, youth, and YSRCP cadres who were voicing the concerns of the people under the leadership of the party's youth and student wings.

He demanded to know whether democracy still exists in the state when constitutionally guaranteed rights to dissent are being "trampled upon".

"Why is the government so intolerant of people raising their voice in defence of public health and medical education? Selling away government-built medical colleges--assets belonging to generations of people--to cronies and private interests is nothing short of betrayal," he said, and added that when questioned, the government responds with brute force, even going so far allowing attacks on media covering these protests.

He also highlighted that the YSRCP MLCs, who staged protests outside the Assembly against the privatisation were subjected to police high-handedness.

At the same time, the YSRCP legislators, youth, and student leaders successfully organised peaceful agitations both inside the Legislative Council and at medical college campuses despite repression, Reddy added.

Meanwhile, in a release, the opposition party said that the 'Chalo Medical Colleges' protest was a grand success and said that the dissent of people against the coalition government has come out in full flow, demanding the rollback of privatisation.

YSRCP leader and former minister Vidadala Rajini said despite all the police restrictions, people responded in large numbers and gathered at the 17 medical colleges, five fully functional and the rest at various stages of completion.

She said they visited all the places where the medical colleges were initiated by Reddy to tell the people "loud and clear about the privatisation move of the coalition government".

Rajini asserted that Naidu could not bring even a single government medical college during all his terms (as CM) put together but noted that the YSRCP chief in his five-year term as CM had initiated 17 government medical colleges of which five were functioning and others were at various stages.

"We are holding a Chalo Medical College' (march to medical colleges) protest opposing the NDA coalition government's decision to privatise medical institutions," a YSRCP leader told PTI earlier on Friday.

The opposition party clarified that the demonstrations would remain peaceful and led by students and youth leadership.

Party cadres visited medical colleges to explain the facts to the public and highlight what they described as the TDP-led government's intentions behind privatisation.

They emphasised YSRCP's commitment to protecting affordable medical education for common people.

According to the YSRCP, Naidu sold government medical colleges and hospitals at rock-bottom prices to his benamis (stooges), weakening healthcare infrastructure and undermining the long-term interests of medical education.

Several senior opposition leaders have reportedly been placed under house arrest across the state to prevent their participation in the protests.

The NDA coalition government is stooping to a new low by using police to suppress the agitation planned to oppose the alleged privatisation of medical colleges, the YRSRCP leader said. PTI MS STH KH