Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared a dream in poll-bound Assam: At least one medical and one technical college in every state should start imparting lessons in the local language.
Addressing his second massive public rally at
Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district, his second visit to the BJP-led Assam since January 23, Modi said: “There is no dearth of talent in our villages and or poor households but they don’t get opportunities. I have a dream, in every state, there should be at least one medical college, at least one technical college which should impart lessons in mother tongue.”
Without going into specifics about his dream’s implementation, Modi went on to add, “Can’t one become a good doctor by studying in Assamese medium? When the new government is formed after the elections, I promise on behalf of the people of Assam, that we will start a medical college and a technical college in local language. This will only increase slowly and steadily.
“Nobody can stop it. This too will help in treatment of the ailing by reaching out to the masses in their mother tongue.”
Assam goes to the polls in April-May.
A significant part of his speech was devoted to the improvement the health sector has undergone under the BJP-led regime in the state since 2016.
On Sunday too, he laid the foundation stone of two hospitals, one in Biswanath district and the other in Charaideo district, besides launching the Asom Mala, a programme for the development of state highways and major district roads at an estimated cost of Rs 8,210 crore.
The two medical colleges are being set up at an estimated cost of Rs 1,122 crore and will have 100 seats each.
However, not everybody was enthused with Modi’s push to impart medical and technical courses in mother tongues.
Indian Medical Association’s Assam branch secretary Hemanga Baishya, a leading gynaecologist based in Guwahati, said the move will encounter practical problems.
“It will take some doing
to turn this dream into reality. First, we will have to get everything translated into Assamese which is easier said than done. Even now when we talk or address meetings in Assamese, we use English to explain medical terms.
“Secondly, when the Centre is pushing for one nation, one test, how far will this move be practical? Will a medical student from Chennai or Punjab come to study in Assam? What will a student from Assam do if he wants to study outside or go abroad? It seems like a poll talk,” Baishya said.
Similar apprehensions were raised by the Opposition Congress.
“We all welcome the extensive use of Assamese or its promotion but there are practical problems, like what happens if a medical student from Assam wants to go abroad? Will those studying in these institutions will remain confined to the state?
“The Prime Minister should clearly spell what he has in mind. We have seen students from Assamese medium schools are studying in medical colleges and have done well for themselves!”
In his speech, Modi recalled the “poor state” of the medical infrastructure in the state in the past.
He said Assam had only six medical colleges till 2016, whereas work on six new medical colleges has been initiated in the past five years.
“Similarly, there are 725 medical seats in the state but this will go up to 1600 seats a year once these new medical colleges become operational. This will significantly improve medical facilities in far-flung areas of the state. The Prime Minister also informed that work on Guwahati AIIMS will be over in the next one-and-half-years.
“The present government is working for the people of Assam with full dedication,” Modi said while highlighting the benefits extended to the people of the state under the Centre’s flagship health schemes.
Modi, like his earlier visit to Sivasagar on January 23, did not touch upon contentious issues such as the Citizenship amendment Act, the implementation of 1985 Assam Accord, according ST status to six communities or the NRC, among others.
