Jagan submits over 1.04 Cr signatures to Governor opposing privatization of medical colleges

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) intensified its protest against the coalition government’s decision to privatize government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh. On Thursday, party president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy met Governor S. Abdul Nazeer at Raj Bhavan and handed over a massive petition containing 1,04,11,136 signatures collected across the state, opposing the move.

Jagan said the signature campaign was carried out voluntarily by people in villages across Andhra Pradesh from October 10 to December 10. He highlighted to the Governor the severe consequences privatization would have on the public, particularly on healthcare access for the poor.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Jagan said that collecting over a crore signatures in just two months is unprecedented in the state’s history. “The enthusiastic participation of villagers shows the level of public opposition to the Chandrababu Naidu-led government. This is the people’s verdict, and the government must take notice,” he said. He emphasized that the government has a responsibility to respect public opinion and should not suppress it through authoritarian tactics.

Describing the privatization plan as one of the biggest scams in the country’s history, Jagan questioned the logic of transferring valuable government land and buildings to private institutions while continuing to pay the salaries of the staff - reportedly around ₹120 crore annually. “Even after privatization, public funds are being used to pay salaries. What could be a bigger scam than this?” he asked.

He also criticized the government for planning to spend ₹1,000 crore unnecessarily and challenged it to leave the colleges under government control if it cannot develop them, promising that his party would ensure they serve the public when back in power.

Jagan stressed that government oversight in education and healthcare ensures justice for the underprivileged. During his tenure, the YSRCP had sanctioned 17 new medical colleges, one in each district, aiming to provide super-specialty and multi-specialty care close to people’s homes. He warned that handing these colleges over to private players would make healthcare expensive and force ordinary people to sell property to access treatment. Privatization would also transfer associated teaching hospitals to private hands, leading to high fees for patients.

Jagan made it clear that the party’s fight to protect medical colleges will continue. He announced plans to file an affidavit in court soon and warned that if the government does not withdraw its decision, it would face strong public resistance.

Before the Governor’s meeting, vehicles carrying signed petitions from various districts had reached the YSRCP central office in Tadipatri. The party described the signature campaign as a response to the people-unfriendly decision of the Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government.

YSRCP leaders noted that between 2019 and 2024, their government had established 17 medical colleges, seven of which were fully operational. Five colleges had begun admitting students even before the current government came to power. Former ministers, MPs, MLAs, and senior party leaders accompanied Jagan during the campaign.