Fathima Medical College strike enters 16th day; YSRCP President, Reddy lends support

The determination of Fathima Medical College students to turn the tide in their favour, has surfaced with their relay strike entering its 16^th day on Wednesday.They are demanding that they be relocated to other medical colleges of the state, without any further delay to save both their academic year and their futures.

100 students from the 2015-16 MBBS batch of the institute, have been on a relay hunger strike at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada, for their college having been derecognized and concerned authorities not relocating them to other medical colleges.

A parent of student told Hans India: “If the government will take action, their problem will be solved within a day.” He criticised the government for neglecting the problems of the students. Minister for Medical and Health, Kamineni Srinivas did nothing to solve the problem of the students during the last 16-days, he added. He questioned how the government allowed admission to the Fathima Medical College and requested The CM to take the necessary steps and solve their problem. Fathima Medical College student Shahrukh Khan demanded the arrest of the medical college management for cheating them.

Meanwhile, YSRCP President, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy days after his meeting with the protesting students from FIMS, has written to the Union Health Minister, JP Nadda seeking his intervention.

In his letter, Jagan mentioned the fact that FIMS despite not having the Council recognition for student admission during the Ist two phases of counselling had managed to admit 100 students in the 3^rd after obtaining orders from the High Court.

He further mentioned that the Supreme Court having dismissed a case filed by the Andhra Pradesh government on behalf of FIMS

When these admissions were cancelled by the MCI and upheld in court, the students were left with nowhere to go.

"I request your kind support to these students, who are suffering for the mistakes made by the college management and state government. I urge you to facilitate the relocation of the students to other colleges to save their future and enable them to pursue their dreams of serving the society through the noble profession of medicine. I also urge you to grant an audience to the affected students and their family members, to present their case," Jagan wrote.

The YSRCP President, Jaganmohan Reddy had interacted with some of the students in Yerraguntla in Kadapa, while on his padayatra.

"Fatima students have been protesting in Vijayawada for the past ten days. No one from the government has come to their rescue. These students have met the Chief Minister five to six times, and each time he has given them false assurances," Jagan had said.

"In order to favour the college management and honour deals fixed with private universities, Naidu's government has refused to forgo 100 seats in the next academic year as advised by the Supreme Court. The SC's judgment has obviously not been positive," he added.

"If Naidu has any humanity left in him, he should immediately act upon this issue," Jagan told New Minute.