VIJAYAWADA: The relay hunger strike called by students of Fathima Institute Medical Sciences (FIMS) reached the third day on Thursday. Opposition leaders from various parties extended their support to the students staging a protest at Dharna Chowk and demanded the State government to take action towards the allotment of seats in other medical college for this academic year at the earliest. Vellampalli Srinivas Rao from YSRC, Akula Srinivas Rao from Congress party and other party leaders visited the Dharna Chowk and expressed their solidarity with the students.
Addressing the media, Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao called for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu intervention and criticized Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas for utterly failing to ensure justice to the 100 students who lost three crucial years of their academic life after their admissions were not recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI). “It is high time for Naidu to act upon this issue rather than focussing on politics. 100 students have lost their time and money. The CM should talk to the Central Health minister and MCI on the allotment of seats in other colleges,” he demanded.
City Congress president Akula Srinivas Rao told their party will fight with the government till they gets justice. “Students have met Naidu many times but he could not do justice to them. Instead of a revision petition, he (CM) should bring pressure on the Centre the MCI,” said Srinivas. Students criticised Kamineni, who they believe, colluded with the management of FIMS. They warned that they will commit mass suicides if the government cannot provide admission in other medical colleges in the State.