Speaker reserves ruling on medical college issue

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 3 The Speaker, Mrs K. Pratibha Bharati, on Saturday reserved her ruling on the privilege motion, given notice of by Dr M. V. Mysoora Reddy, Congress, against the Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, for his alleged misleading statement on the Kamineni Medical College issue.

Dealing with the issue which was raised again by the Congress leader in the Assembly today, she said, she would issue her ruling later.

Dr Reddy contended that the High Court, dealing with a petition filed by the college society, issued a directive to the NTR University of Health Sciences, asking it to "evaluate" the application by the society without insisting on essentiality certificate but the Chief Minister had ``misled'' the House, the other day, by picturising the ``evaluation'' otherwise.

Deputising for the Chief Minister who was absent, the Home Minister, Mr T. Devender Goud, said, the university had referred the High Court directive to the Government which, in turn, put it before the Cabinet. This was the reason why the Cabinet took up the issue all of a sudden and not motivated by any other motive much less to favour the society. As per the Cabinet decision, essentiality certificate was issued to the college.

Dr Reddy recalled a letter addressed to the Court by the Joint Secretary, Health, in which he had stated that the essentiality certificate was issued in pursuance of a Government ``instruction.'' This mistake which Dr Reddy termed ``wilful and deliberate'' was later regretted by the Government itself before the Court.

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Section  : Southern States
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