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Jagan Mohan govt’s move to rename Dr NTR health varsity after YSR sparks a row

Amidst chaos, the state Assembly unanimously passed the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Act.

SNV Sudhir

Published Sep 21, 2022 | 5:45 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2022 | 5:53 PM

NTR Health University

NTR Health University (Varsity website)

The renaming of the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS) after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father and former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh, Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy, kicked up a raging row on Wednesday, 21 September.

NT Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, was also a chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh and founder of the TDP. The government’s move was opposed by the TDP, along with other parties like the BJP, Jana Sena and the Left parties.

Protesting the government’s decision, the chairman of the state’s Official Language Committee, Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, resigned from his post.

TDP cadres also took to the streets in protest, attempting to stage a sit-in at the NTRUHS campus in Vijayawada. However, they were taken away by the police. The protesters also gathered at several other places of the city.

Bill passed amidst chaos in Assembly

Amidst chaos and a near-continuous ruckus, the state Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Dr NTR University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Act of 2022, changing the name of NTRUHS to Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy University of Health Sciences.

While introducing the Bill in the house, Health Minister Vidadala Rajani played a video clip in which TDP chief and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and a media baron are seen discussing a move to remove NTR’s name from the state government’s health insurance scheme, the Arogyasri.

Chandrababu Naidu is NTR’s son-in-law and had led a revolt in the TDP before ousting him from power to become chief minister in 1995.

TDP members shouted slogans, rushed to the Speaker’s seat, and threw around torn copies of the Bill. While the Opposition members issued a notice for an adjournment motion on renaming the health university, Speaker Tammineni Sitaram rejected it. As the TDP members continued to disrupt the House, the Speaker suspended them for the day.

At one point the Speaker suggested the TDP members participate in the discussion on the Bill and register their opinions and views. However, as the situation slipped out of control, he suspended the TDP members. The House subsequently passed the Bill.

TDP members gathered outside the Assembly and burnt copies of Dr NTRUHS Amendment Bill 2022.

Cabinet ratifies Bill online

High drama preceded the presentation of the Bill in the Assembly.

The draft notification of the Bill to rename the health varsity was ratified in a tearing hurry. The Bill was circulated online to members of the Cabinet only late evening on Tuesday, and it was ratified in virtual mode. On Wednesday, it was presented in the House.

Justifying the renaming of the university, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan said that it was a well-considered move to give due credit to Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy and was by no means a display of disrespect towards NTR.

Intervening during the motion on passing the Bill to rename the university, the chief minister said due credit should be given to Dr YSR, a practising medical doctor before joining politics, as he had been a pioneer in taking quality medicare to the common people with his innovative Aarogyasri, besides the 108, 104 ambulance services.

Jagan Mohan’s justification

Of the existing 11 medical colleges in the state, nine were functioning even before TDP was formed, and the remaining came into being with the initiative of Dr YSR, Jagan Mohan said.

Jagan Mohan said his government is adding 17 medical colleges in the state to give a fillip to medicare. With this, 20 of the 28 medical colleges in the state have come up due to the efforts of YSR and his government. This itself justifies the renaming of the health university, he said.

“Chandrababu Naidu has no love lost for NTR as he usurped the party and chief minister’s post from his father-in-law, which caused mental agony to the founder of the party. While he could recommend central awards to the people who stood with him in back-stabbing NTR, Chandrababu Naidu could not recommend NTR’s name for Bharat Ratna, while we have kept our promise of naming one district after NTR,” Jagan said.

How is YSR connected to NTRUHS, asks Naidu

TDP chief Naidu asked how the late YSR was connected to the NTR Health University, which was established in 1986. YSR was chief minister from 2004 to 2009.

Insisting that NTR’s name should be retained at any cost, Naidu also stressed the fact that no chief minister, including the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, ever thought of changing the name of the university, which had achieved national recognition.

“It is totally illogical to think of changing the name of NTR Health University now, after 36 long years of its establishment. The present government, which could not set up even a single establishment and could not construct even a single structure in any part of the state, is only thinking of changing the names of established institutions. It is totally ridiculous,” he thundered.

Varsity established in 1986

The NTRUHS, with its headquarters in Vijayawada, was established by NT Rama Rao when he was chief minister in 1986. Initially, it was named the Andhra Pradesh University of Health Sciences. After NTR’s demise in 1998, the then TDP government named the university after him.

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