Pondy opposition protests govt failure to secure 50% private medical seats

PUDUCHERRY: Opposition DMK and Congress members and two independent members walked out of the Puducherry legislative assembly on Thursday, protesting the AINRC-BJP govt's failure to secure for govt quota 50% seats in private medical colleges and hospitals.

In the assembly, leader of opposition R Siva pointed out that National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Union govt have directed private medical colleges and hospitals to compulsorily surrender 50% of undergraduate and postgraduate seats.

The Puducherry govt, instead of enforcing the direction, is holding talks with the private colleges, he said and urged the govt to enact a law to secure the 50% seats. Siva pointed out that private colleges surrender 85% of their seats to the govt in Karnataka, and 65% in Tamil Nadu.

Later, six DMK members and two from Congress walked out of the assembly in protest. Two independent MLAs also joined them.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK Puducherry unit held an agitation near the old bus stand on Wednesday for the cause. AIADMK Puducherry unit secretary and former MLA A Anbalagan criticised the govt for failing to implement NMC's guidelines.