Minister appeals to State govt. to release Vijayapura protesters

Minister Shivanand Patil has appealed to the State government to withdraw cases filed by the police against protesters demanding a government medical college in Vijayapura, leading to their release.

“I have always supported the agitation for a government medical college in Vijayapura. I apologise to the protesters if they have suffered any inconvenience due to the errors or wrongs on the part of officers,” he told reporters in Vijayapura on Thursday.

He clarified that he will write a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah requesting him to withdraw the case registered against the activists, so that it can lead to their release.

“I have been in support of a government medical college. When I was the Health Minister, I had made all the necessary preparations for the opening of a government medical college in Vijayapura district. But then, the coalition government led by H.D. Kumaraswamy fell,” he said.

“During the next BJP government, it was decided to establish the college in private partnership. Mr. Siddaramaiah had announced a government medical college for each district in the 2014-15 budget. Now, a government medical college has been announced for the district,” he said and added that he is grateful to the Chief Minister for that.

The Chief Minister said that there is no doubt about the announcement of a government college and that funding will be available in the upcoming budget. During the inauguration of the government medical college in Haveri, Mr. Siddaramaiah announced that the State government will open government medical colleges in all districts.

“In Haveri, there was only 56 acres of land and there were no facilities. But after I took charge of that district, I completed work on the building for the government medical college. Most of the work was completed before the last Lok Sabha elections, but MP Basavaraj Bommai had requested that a programme be held so that the Central Ministers could participate in it. Therefore, we have dedicated it now,” he explained.

“But there is 153 acres of land in Vijayapura district and when I was the Health Minister, I provided many facilities, including a 150-bed mother and child hospital and a trauma center. I have not only built a super-specialty hospital but also established a cancer treatment unit. This work is yet to be completed. The State government can establish a government medical college in the vicinity of the Vijayapura District Hospital, which has all these facilities, at a cost of just ₹100 crore,” he said.

“A medical college with 250 MBBS seats can be established easily in Vijayapura, if just four teaching rooms, an auditorium and an examination unit are built. Usually, funds of up to ₹600 crore-₹700 crore is required to establish a new government medical college. But in Vijayapura, only ₹100 crore is required as all the basic facilities already exist,” he said.

To a query, he said that he will be happy if MP Ramesh Jigajinagi will persuade the Union government to set up an AIIMS medical college and hospital in Vijayapura.

“However, we will try to start a State government medical college also. The neighbouring Kalaburagi district has both a medical college established by the Centre and another by the State. We can have that here too. But before that, I earnestly request the MP to repair the National Highways in Vijayapura district by filling all potholes,” Mr. Shivanand Patil said.