GANDHI MEDICAL COLLEGE HYDERABAD 92 BATCH

Naidu repeats father-in-law’s hospital act
Wednesday, June 20 2001 10:03 Hrs (IST)


Hyderabad: More than 14 years after the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N T Rama Rao laid the foundation stone for a hospital-cum-medical college, his successor and son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu performed a repeat act for the same project at the same venue, in the compound of the Musheerabad central jail.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] The stone for the Gandhi Hospital and Medical College laid by late N T Rama Rao on May 1, 1987, is barely 300 yards from the one laid by Naidu on June 19 in the premises of the sprawling prison located in the heart of the city.

The stone laid by NTR, measuring more than six into five feet, dwarfs the one laid by his son-in-law and reflects the late leader's personality in more than one way. Only two other names, that of the then Health Minister M S S Koteshwar Rao and Secretary (Health)Dr P L Sanjeeva Reddy, find a place on the plaque.

The old stone, which is at the southeastern part of the jail campus, next to the abandoned staff quarters, is still in good shape and the Telugu letters could be read very easily.

In contrast the stone laid by Naidu, on the northeastern side, is only three-into- four-and-half-feet and is entirely in English. In what can be construed a reflection of the times, the new stone has the names of as many as 10 politicians.

Besides Naidu's name, those mentioned include a Central minister, four state ministers, three members of Parliament and a member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Talasani Srinivas Yadav, who presided over the function. In addition names of five officials including state Health Secretary C Arjun Rao also figure.

The stage for the function was set in such a way that all those on the platform had their back to the stone laid by Rama Rao and the dais itself blocked the view of the old stone for the audience.