Bengaluru: Minister for Minor Irrigation and Science & Technology, N S Boseraju, has urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to demonstrate their commitment to securing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Raichur before undertaking political rallies in the district.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the minister criticised the BJP-led central government for its continued inaction on granting AIIMS sta-tus to Raichur, a long-standing demand from the people of the region. He not-ed that despite sustained public agitations and repeated appeals by state leaders, MPs, MLAs, and civil society groups, the Union government has failed to re-spond positively.
“Thousands of days have passed since the demand for AIIMS in Raichur was first raised, but the Centre has not shown any serious intent. The anger among the people of Raichur is directed at the central government,” said Boseraju.
He further alleged that the BJP-led NDA government has dealt social, political, and economic blows to Raichur and the broader Kalyana Karnataka region, which enjoys special status under Article 371(J) of the Constitution. He re-minded that it was the UPA government that eventually accorded this constitu-tional recognition, and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had allocated Rs5,000 crore for the region’s development during his tenure.
Boseraju also highlighted that the Nanjundappa Committee had recommended setting up an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Raichur to spur educa-tional and economic development. However, the previous BJP government allegedly shifted the proposal to Dharwad, ignoring the interests of the back-ward Raichur district.
“Even after promising AIIMS for Raichur, BJP leaders have failed to deliver. The promise remains unfulfilled. Multiple representations have been made to the Prime Minister, Union Health Minister, and other concerned authorities, but we have not received any positive response,” the minister said.
He criticised BJP leaders from Karnataka for choosing political grandstanding over developmental responsibility. “They should protest against the Centre’s economic policies, including rising prices of gas, petrol, and diesel, instead of targeting the state government,” he added.
Calling for accountability, Boseraju demanded that BJP leaders from Karna-taka—especially those holding ministerial posts at the Centre—should focus on addressing the genuine concerns of backward regions like Raichur. “Let them first secure AIIMS for Raichur before staging political events here,” he urged.