YSRCP Launches Statewide Protests Against TDP’s Medical College Privatization

YSRCP leaders and cadre launched a statewide protest against the TDP government’s decision to hand over the development of 10 medical colleges in the state to private players.

Accusing the coalition government of privatizing the public healthcare system, the YSRCP warned that the move could shatter the dreams of poor students aspiring to become doctors and make low-income families vulnerable to corporate profiteering if the medical colleges are privatized.

In Vijayawada, YSRCP’s NTR district president Devineni Avinash led the protests. Former Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, former MLA Malladi Vishnu, Mondithoka Jagan Mohan Rao, MLC Rahul, Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, and Deputy Mayor Bellam Durga participated in the demonstration near the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar in Ajit Singh Nagar.

Lashing out at the Chandrababu Naidu government, Avinash stated that the ruling alliance had made survival difficult for the common man. He pointed out that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, as Chief Minister, had initiated the establishment of 17 medical colleges. “However, after the TDP alliance came to power, greed for money has led Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan (Deputy Chief Minister), and Lokesh (IT and HRD Minister) to privatize medical colleges,” the YSRCP leader alleged.

He warned that the YSRCP would intensify the protests if the TDP-led NDA government did not roll back its decision. Highlighting that he was stopped from inspecting medical colleges, Avinash asserted that no amount of police pressure would prevent them from taking out protests.

Large-scale protests were carried out in Visakhapatnam as well, where the YSRCP SC wing staged a demonstration demanding that the TDP government withdraw its privatization decision. The party leaders also threatened to topple Chandrababu Naidu’s government if the Dalit community was provoked.

Massive demonstrations were conducted by YSRCP leaders in YSR, Anantapur, Tirupati, and Guntur districts. This is the second such agitation organized by the party against the privatization of medical colleges. Earlier this month, the YSRCP had launched the ‘Chalo Medical College’ rally across the state, during which party leaders faced police restrictions and house arrests.