TDP stages relay hunger protest on renaming health varsity

Nellore: Expressing dissent over renaming of Dr NTR Health University, TDP leaders staged a relay hunger protest in Nellore rural limits on Thursday. Party leaders said the former chief minister NT Rama Rao had put sincere efforts into establishing the varsity for supporting the health sector and hence TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu named it after NTR. They blamed the ruling party leaders for failing to understand its significance and removing the name through act.

TDP health wing state president Dr Z Siva Prasad said NTR started the varsity in 1986 as part of reformations in health sector and to eliminate donations practice in the state. NTR, subsequently, initiated super specialty wings such as BIRRD hospital and SVIMS in Tirupati expanding health services, TDP leader said.

Respecting reformations of NTR, Chandrababu named the varsity Dr NTR University of Health Sciences in 1992, he said and added it is nothing but vengeful act to rename it after Dr YSR. He said it is a ridiculous to replace NTR's with Dr YSR at the time the TDP was demanding Centre to announce Bharat Ratna award posthumously to great leader.

TDP senior leader Ch Venkateswara Reddy said Chandrababu Naidu used to name varsities and other important institutions after eminent personalities in the state and NTR abolished the old system giving priority to meritorious poor by introducing the EAMCET entrance examination in the state. Venkateswara Reddy said Jagan Mohan Reddy insulted NTR by removing his name from the health university, who introduced significant reformations in the administrative system. Earlier, Dr YSR removed the name of NTR from International Airport located at Shamshabad and now, his son removed NTR's name from the health university. He demanded the ruling party leaders to continue the old name.