People's Democracy

Agartala Government Medical College: A Dream Come True

Haripada Das

A LONG cherished dream of the people of Tripura was realised on August 1 with the inauguration of the ‘Agartala Government Medical College’ by the state chief minister Manik Sarkar amidst high applause of thousands of people and dignitaries present on the occasion.

The people of this tiny state in the northeast, particularly the students, have been fighting for long (in fact since the sixties) for the establishment of a medical college, and at last it has become a reality today. The college building is located at the newly constructed Super Speciality Block adjacent to the state’s leading hospital, G B Pant Hospital, Agartala.

Along with the chief minister Manik Sarkar, the dignitaries present on this occasion were Dr Surjakanta Mishra, minister for health & family welfare in the government of West Bengal, various cabinet members of Tripura, executive members of ADC, MLAs, ADCMs, MPs, high officials, and hospital authorities including D K Das, principal of the medical college.

After inaugurating the hospital, the chief minister went round the whole building and inspected it. He also met the faculty and first year students admitted into the college. Greeting the students, Sarkar said, ‘Certainly you shall be good physicians, but at the same time you must strive to be good citizens accountable to the common people, because the entire expenditure of this college is shared by them.’ He wished them a bright career. The CM also met the non-teaching staff of the college and sought their sincere cooperation in properly running the college despite the lack of all amenities due to the limitations faced by the state.

PUBLIC MEETING

On the occasion of the inauguration of the medical college, a huge public meeting was held at the nearby BT College ground under the chairmanship of health minister Tapan Chakraborty. Addressing the meeting, Manik Sarkar expressed the Left Front government’s resolve to make this medical college a prestigious one, not only in northeast region but in the entire country. He said this was perfectly possible if all concerned act with honesty, sincerity and commitment. He stressed the need for concentrating on developing human resources pool in the state and upgrading its quality. Despite the state having plenty of natural resources, lack of infrastructure was hampering progress, he said.

Manik Sarkar asserted that the Left Front government has a program aiming at attainment of self-sufficiency in all key areas and establishing this medical college was part of that program. He explained the other priorities of the LF government, particularly relating to expansion of higher education in the state. The goal is to establish primary schools within the reach of three kilometres of all students in the state, high schools within the reach of five kilometres, upgrading the Tripura Engineering College to the status of IIT by opening three new streams in it. He also mentioned about the long-pending demand of converting Tripura University into a central university for which infrastructure is available.

Emphasising that no progress or development could be ensured without the cooperation of the people, Sarkar urged upon the people to actively stand by the Left Front government in its implementation of pro-people programmes.

Dr Surjakanta Mishra, West Bengal health minister and the guest of the function congratulated the people of Tripura on behalf of the people and the government of West Bengal on the establishment of the medical college. He said that the college must also, while treating the patients, take up health awareness programme in a big way. He cited how India’s position was far below, not only when compared to developed countries but also to many developing countries like Sri Lanka, with regard to health care. And the main reason for this was the consistently meagre outlays for health care in the central budget of our country. Dr Mishra emphasised on vigorous awareness campaigns to ensure nutritious food, safe drinking water, clean environment to promote health of the people.

State finance minister Badal Chowdhury and health minister Tapan Chakraborty who presided over the meeting also spoke.

OUTCOME OF STRUGGLE

This important gain for the state of Tripura is the outcome of ceaseless struggle of its people, particularly the student community led by the students federation who first raised this demand in their conference held at Udaipur in 1969. In 1974, SFI launched a widespread movement in the state demanding setting up of a university, a law college and a medical college. On September 8, 1974 SFI organised a state level convention in Agartala to press for this demand while extending active solidarity support to the ongoing movement for food in the midst of famine situation in the state. Later the organisation staged a civil disobedience movement from September 24, 1974 on the above demands. The then Congress government resorted to brute force to suppress the democratic movement of the students on their just demands. Thousands of students were injured all over the state in the lathicharges. The people of Tripura rose in a roaring protest observing spontaneous general strike on September 26, 1974 against this inhuman repression on students. SFI also organised a mass signature collection movement on February 8, 1975 and continued its campaign movement on these demands. On August 10, 1978, Tripura state assembly passed a private resolution demanding establishment of a medical college in the state when a huge students mobilisation was organised by the SFI outside the assembly building. Ironically, chief minister Manik Sarkar, finance minister Badal Chowdhury and health minister Tapan Chakraborty were some of the front-ranking leaders who led the volcanic students movement in those days.

But the demand for Medical college gone a low key during the Congress-TUJS coalition regime when the students found that state’s allocated medical seats were being sold to affluent candidates belonging to other states. In fact, sale of medical seats scandal is one of the series in the coalition’s notorious corruption cases that are being tried in the court of law and where the coalition’s then chief minister is the main accused. Also, the people of Tripura had a bitter experiment regarding the coalition government’s farcical attempt to set up a private medical college sponsored by Baba Mungippa Trust.

In view of all this, the setting up of Agartala Government Medical College is truly a dream come true for the people of Tripura.