Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Hyderabad: YSRCP President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday said that the overwhelming opposition of more than one crore people to the privatisation of government medical colleges represents a clear public verdict to protect affordable medical education and public healthcare in Andhra Pradesh. He asserted that this is a democratic public referendum conducted peacefully across the state.
Vehicles carrying the one crore signature representations reached Lok Bhavan, where officials from the Governor’s office examined the documents. In the afternoon, YS Jagan, along with party legislators, district presidents, regional coordinators, and senior leaders, proceeded from the YSRCP central office to Vijayawada. Before meeting the Governor, he paid tributes at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Social Justice Memorial, reaffirming that the movement is rooted in constitutional values, social justice, and the right to health. YSRCP had conducted a signature campaign against the government's proposal to develop medical colleges on PPP model.
Subsequently, YS Jagan, accompanied by YSRCP leaders, met Governor S Abdul Nazeer at Lok Bhavan and formally submitted the one crore signature representations. He explained in detail the strong public opposition to the Chandrababu Naidu government’s decision to privatise government medical colleges and conveyed that the signatures reflect the collective will of the people to safeguard public healthcare and affordable medical education.
Later speaking at Lok Bhavan after the meeting, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that poor and middle-class families benefit only when hospitals remain in the government sector, as private players inevitably exploit people through high tariffs. He stated that the Governor was apprised of how the privatisation decision directly harms the poor and weaker sections of society.
YS Jagan said the party would also approach the courts and file affidavits, warning that if privatisation is not stopped, future generations will suffer and healthcare will fall completely into private hands, opening the door to unchecked exploitation. He pointed out that the 17 government medical colleges initiated during his tenure would significantly enhance medical seats at fees far lower than private colleges, and that full privatisation would only deepen exploitation.
He further stated that the scam is much bigger than it appears, noting that for two years the Chandrababu Naidu government has committed to paying nearly Rs. 120 crore as salaries to staff of private medical colleges, an unheard-of mechanism where public money is used to subsidise private profit. He recalled that land was acquired or purchased for these colleges, funding was tied up with multiple agencies, seven out of 17 colleges were completed, and around 700 medical seats had already been created.