Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RJP)

Udupi, Jan 7: A rally was held here on Friday, January 6 protesting the privatization of government district women and children hospital. The rally was held from Jodukatte to Chittaranjan circle.

Addressing the protestors, psychiatrist Dr P V Bhandary, who was the convener of the protest, said, "The government has snatched the hospital from the poor and handed over to rich people. This is injustice. We will not bow down to any pressure. We are sure that the Supreme Court will give us justice. We will fight till we get justice.

"Udupi Municipal Council which gave Vishweshwarayya Commercial Complex to a private party made an agreement of 200 pages. But when the government gave the 600-bed hospital to a private party, the agreement was only of 25 pages. The property donated to the government by Haji Abdulla in 1930, has been given to business people for free," he added.

He demanded that the agreement be made public and the fee structure in the hospital be fixed at par with government hospitals. "We do not have any objections to the fact that the hospital has been given to Dr B R Shetty group. Let the hospital be administered by district surgeon, not DC and CEO of ZP," he said.

Thinker K Paniraj said, "More than 3,000 patients visit the hospital every month and get free treatment and hence the name and quality the hospital maintained so far, should be carried forward."

Leaders from various organizations including left parties and Khurshid Ahmed, the relative of donor Haji Abdulla took part in the rally.