New Delhi: Hitting out at the Andhra Pradesh government's move to rename NTR Health University after YSR, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asked how the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy is connected with NTR Health University which was established in 1986.
The controversy started after Andhra Pradesh government proposed to rename NTR Health University as YSR Health University in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. After the proposal was made public, TDP has strongly shown its opposition to the move.
The former chief minister stated that late NT Rama Rao had established the university intending to have a separate head of the institution for medical education. ‘’After his demise in 1998, the then TDP government named the university after him,’’ Naidu said.
He said that renaming the health university reflects the defeat of the YSRCP Government and that the TDP strongly opposes the proposal. He demanded that NTR's name for the university be retained at any cost.
The TDP national president further mentioned that no other chief minister, including the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, ever thought of changing the university's name, which acquired national recognition and that it is illogical to think of changing the name of NTR Health University now, after 36 years of its establishment.
Further taking a dig at the government, Naidu said the present Andhra 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 the established institutions.
‘’The state government, which defamed the prestige of the university as there are no funds with the institution to conduct even the annual convocation, is now trying to change its name,’’ he said and asked in which way the late YSR is related to NTR Health University.
Taking potshots at CM Jagan, Chandrababu said, ‘’By simply changing the names of the established institutions, the Government will achieve nothing. The party in ruling should try to set up new establishments and the Chief Minister should realise this."