Move to sell medical seats draws CPM fire

Eluru: CPM state secretary V Srinivasa Rao demanded the state government to allot 85 per cent medical seats only on merit basis to the students in the newly-started medical colleges in the state. He further asked the government to withdraw the GOs were issued for selling medical seats ranging from Rs 12 lakh to 20 lakh for each one in the name of NRI quota and Self-Finance.

While addressing the media at the party office here on Wednesday, the CPM state secretary condemned the government’s decision to sell medical seats, and said that this unjust decision would deprive the common people of medical education. He said that they were welcoming the establishment of five new colleges in the state and at the same time they were opposing the selling of seats.

Except 15 per cent seats which are reserved for all India quota, all the remaining 85 per cent seats must be given to the merit students, he demanded. Srinviasa Rao also sought allotment of 75 per cent seats in Paderu medical college to the tribals only. Selling medical seats is not fair, he said, and hoped that the verdict of the courts would be favourable to the students.

Referring to the high electricity bills, the CPM leader alleged that the power bills had increased two to folds which burdened the consumers heavily.

He alleged that the government has been extorting the consumers in the name of true-up charges and additional taxes. Due to this steep increase in power charges, the common people, traders and small-scale industries were facing enormous hardships. Besides, the people and farmers are also facing problems due to power outages of two to four hours daily.

Srinivasa Rao demanded the state government to withdraw the decision to fix smart meters to every household. He alleged that the government had decided to purchase each smart meter by paying Rs 35,000 whose original cost is around Rs 6,000, and added that the government is going to pass on that inflated costs on the consumers.

The CPM state secretary said the party would organise state-wide ‘Samara Bheri’ from August 30 to September 4 opposing the ‘autocratic’ and ‘anti-people policies’ of the state and Central governments. CPM Eluru city secretary P Kishore, district committee secretaries D N V D Prasad, B Somayya and others participated.