Roja leads signature campaign against privatisation of medical colleges in Vijayapuram mandal

Former Minister RK Roja on Sunday led a mass signature collection drive organised by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to protest the state government’s decision to privatise government medical colleges. The event, part of the “One Crore Signatures” campaign, was held in Illathur village and witnessed enthusiastic participation from local residents, party leaders, and women.

As part of the programme, Roja conducted a Rachabanda (public interaction), explaining the implications of the government’s privatisation policy. Addressing the gathering, she recalled that under former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure, the state had sanctioned 17 new medical colleges, of which seven were fully completed, while the remaining ten were planned to be finished in the following term. She criticised the present administration for steering these institutions towards privatisation, calling it a grave injustice to poor and middle-class families.

Roja warned that privatisation would have serious consequences for both medical education and healthcare access. She said that poor and rural students, who depend on affordable government education, would be deprived of opportunities as private colleges charge exorbitant fees and reduce government-quota seats. This, she argued, would widen inequality and limit medical education to the wealthy.

Highlighting the impact on healthcare, Roja noted that government medical colleges are often linked with public hospitals that provide low-cost treatment to common citizens. Privatisation, she cautioned, could lead to higher healthcare costs and weaken public health services, forcing people to depend on expensive private hospitals.

She further urged the people to stand united against the move, saying that education and healthcare are fundamental rights, not privileges. The “One Crore Signatures” campaign, she explained, aims to mobilise public opinion and pressure the government to withdraw the decision through democratic means.

Later, Roja personally collected signatures from village women and encouraged them to participate in protecting public institutions. Several YSRCP leaders, youth, and local activists from state, district, and mandal levels took part in the event, pledging their support to the campaign.