Massive Protest in Raichur as AIIMS Demand Reaches 1,000 Days

Raichur: A massive protest rally was held in Raichur on Wednesday as the movement demanding government approval for the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the city entered its 1,000th day.

The rally, organized by the Raichur AIIMS Horata Samiti, began from Karnataka Sangha in Jawahar Nagar and passed through major thoroughfares before reaching the Deputy Commissioner's office. The protest was led by the committee's convener, Basavaraj Kalasa.

Addressing the gathering, Kalasa accused the Union Government of neglecting Raichur district. He criticized the government for failing to respond to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s repeated letters requesting the establishment of AIIMS in the region. Despite persistent appeals, the demand was not included in the recent budget.

Kalasa further alleged that Union Ministers representing Karnataka, along with BJP leaders, had not exerted enough pressure on the Union Government to expedite the approval process, leading to unnecessary delays. He vowed that the movement would continue, expanding to Taluka-level protests in the coming days, and assured that the agitation would intensify.

He also accused Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, V. Somanna, Pralhad Joshi, and Shobha Karandlaje of shedding "crocodile tears" while failing to take meaningful action to bring AIIMS to Raichur. "The people of this region will no longer be misled by empty promises," he asserted.