The Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to let the government take over the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College at Durg, rejecting amendments moved by the BJP by voice vote. Fifty-six members voted for and 16 against it.
BJP's Brijmohan Agrawal said the Chhattisgarh Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College Durg (Acquisition) Bill 2021 was flawed. If something does not exist, how can one proceed with a discussion, he asked.
Law Minister Mohammed Akbar said the acquisition has got the cabinet approval.
Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said the bill should be repealed as it is not the property of the House.
Intervening, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said in the last assembly session he had made an announcement regarding taking over the college. There are cases where provisions are made in the budget but the schemes may not exist.
Former Chief Minister Raman Singh said the government could have developed the Durg district hospital into a medical college hospital instead of acquiring a debt-ridden private college.
The Medical Council of India, earlier known as the National Medical Council, had in 2018 recommended withdrawal of recognition to the college. According to MCI, the college was not eligible to continue the academic session after the 2015-16 batch.
The college has a debt of around Rs 125 crores and a case of forgery was registered against it.
Owners of the college had drawn a loan of Rs 172 crores for the institute by mortgaging the Memorial Hospital.
“How directors and promoters of the college can borrow against a hospital built on government land? The bill has been brought to ensure relief to directors from debts,” Singh said.
Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo said future students will get a fully built medical college. If a new one is built, it will take 5-6 years and cost Rs 500-600 crores.
After the bill was passed, furious BJP members called the bill a “black law” and walked out of the House.