The AIADMK has announced to stage a demonstration in front of the Jipmer (Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research) Hospital in Puducherry on September 4 protesting against the institution’s recent move to cancel free treatment offered to the poor people.
“The agitation is to condemn the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, in which the DMK is a constituent, and also the Puducherry government for its silence on the issue,” AIADMK supremo and chief minister J. Jayalalithaa said.
Through the agitation, the party would demand for the immediate revocation of the charges being levied by the hospital for various treatments.
She recalled that in 2008 she had opposed a move to grant autonomy to the premier institute saying it would affect economically weaker sections while the hospital employees stood the risk of losing “government staff,” status.
The hospital administration had worked out different fee for various treatment including surgeries and said anyone with a monthly salary of over Rs 2,500 have to avail treatment for a cost. “Almost everybody earns Rs 150 a day.
Even the beneficiaries of Centre’s NREGA earn Rs 132 a day,” she said and added that this meant free services had been completely stopped.
The protest would be led by AIADMK MGR youth wing secretary R. B. Udhayakumar in the presence of Puducherry AIADMK state secretary A Anbalagan, outside Jipmer.
Office-bearers of various wings of the party will also participate in the stir, Ms Jayalalithaa said in a statement here on Sunday.