In a statement released today, Ms Jayalalithaa said that only healthy people could make constructive contributions to the overall growth of the society. Sanitation and medical facilities are considered very important to achieve this. However, without any concern for the medical security of the people, the minority DMK government's chief minister Karunanidhi was functioning with the sole objective of getting his name engraved on plaques. 

The people of the area were charging that in the first phase, the outpatient section of the Vilupuram district headquarters government general hospital had been shifted to the Vilupuram government medical college at Mundiambakkam which was 8 kilometers away from Vizhupuram city. As a result, the poor and middle class people hailing from areas falling within  Vizhupuram city, Kolianur, Kaanai, Kandamangalam, Tiruvennainallur and Tirunavalur unions, who depended on this hospital had been severely affected.  

The people of the area were further charging that the state government was planning to shift the entire district headquarters  government general hospital to the half constructed Vilupuram medical college premises before the minority DMK government's chief minister Karunanidhi inaugurated the medical college on the 7th of March this year.  

Ms Jayalalithaa said that shifting the district headquarters general hospital which served over 3000 outpatients every day to the half constructed medical college building without any concern for the medical security of the people amounted to torturing them. She pointed out that such a method had not been followed when the Medical College at Andipatti was launched during her tenure.  

Ms Jayalalithaa announced that a protest demonstration would be held on behalf of the Vilupuram north district unit of the AIADMK before the Periyar statue at Vilupuram on the 26th of this month to condemn the minority DMK government's act. The demonstration would also insist that the headquarters government general hospital should continue to function at the existing venue.  

The demonstration would be led by the party organising secretary C Ponnaiyan in the presence of the Vizhupuram north district party secretary C Ve. Shanmugam.  

Ms Jayalalithaa asked Vizhupuram district party functionaries, district office bearers, functionaries of the various wings of the party, local body representatives and party cadres to participate in the demonstration in large numbers. She also appealed to the people to participate in the protest which was being organised for a cause of public welfare.