The Member of Parliament from Coimbatore constituency, PR Natarajan, has written to the Union Government condemning the cancellation of the medical quota seats for children of ESI workers in ESI Hospitals. The CPI(M) MP, on Thursday, also urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to revoke the decision and allot the seats reserved for ESI workers under the pre-existing quota.
In a letter, PR Natarajan said, “The 20% quota for children of ESI workers has been cancelled. This is highly condemnable. The ESI hospital is being run with the funds obtained under Workers Insurance Scheme 1948. In the hospital, the children of the workers have seats reserved under IP quota. “
The ESI was constructed for Rs 520 crore in 32-acre land in Singanallur of Coimbatore district with the funds of the workers.
“Among the 100 medical seats, 65 seats will be fixed for state government, 15 seats will be filled by the Union Government and the remaining 20 seats will be filled based on the IP quota by getting applications from the students of workers,” he said.
In this backdrop, PR Natrajan claimed, the IP quota has been cancelled for this year just like how the Modi government crushed the dreams of students by introducing NEET. The Modi-led government has cancelled around 300 seats in the 35 ESI Hospitals across the country, he said.
The Member of Parliament said, “By this act, the Modi government has shattered the dreams of all the children of the ESI workers who received less than Rs 20,000 salary and gave their contribution to the hospital. This is highly condemnable and the Union Government is continuing to shatter the dreams of the underprivileged."
PR Natarajan urged the Union Government to fill the seats allotted under the quota with the children of ESI workers. He also called on educationists, social activists and industrial unions to hold a protest against the move by the central government.