Congress demands free treatment, rule of reservation in TTD institutions

Congress party cadres led by former Union Minister Chinta Mohan staged a protest in front of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams administered Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati.

Congress party cadres led by former Union Minister Chinta Mohan staged a protest in front of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administered Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati, on April 22, demanding free medical and surgical treatment for the poor and downtrodden sections, implementation of the rule of reservation for SC/ST and OBCs, and filling up of the backlog posts immediately.

Chinta Mohan observed that when the SVIMS had slipped into financial crisis, it was the UPA government that had released a grant of ₹60 crore under the Prime Minister Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), as per which free treatment should be given to the poor and downtrodden. But, in reality, this remained a far cry for two decades. He demanded that the SVIMS should be run with the funds of the TTD and the Central government.

The Congress leader further demanded that the rule of reservation for the SC/ST and OBCs as per the constitutional provision should be implemented in the SVIMS Hospital and all other institutions of the TTD, apart from filling up the backlog posts for these categories.

Chinta Mohan further demanded that the shops in Tirumala, which were under the control of the TTD, should be allotted to the SC/ST and OBCs by following the rule of reservation. He deplored that it was unfortunate that these underprivileged sections were not given their due share in the allotment of shops on the hilltop temple town.

The Congres cadres had displayed banners and raised slogans in support of their demands and submitted a memorandum to the SVIMS authorities. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) secretary Yarlapalle Gopi Gowd, Party’s legal cell president Ravi and others took part in the agitation.

Meanwhile, the BJP State secretary G. Bhanu Prakash Reddy in a press note on Saturday alleged that the State governmnet had illegally occupied the TTD-run Sri Padmavathi Nilayam building near Tirucharnur for Tirupati district Collector’s office by saying that a monthly rent of ₹21 lakhs would be paid to the TTD. Even after one year of occupation, the TTD was unable to collect the rental of more than ₹2.5 crore from the Collectorate. “Latest, the State government has mooted a vile plan to purchase the entire building for ₹100 Crore, and this would be opposed tooth and nail,” he said.