The opposition CPI-M and Congress in Tripura on Monday launched protests across the state against the government’s decision to hike fees of services in government hospitals.
The BJP government on Friday had increased the tariffs of medical services.
The government announced revised tariffs of hospital services and 337 bio-chemistry, pathological, radiological, digital and clinical tests.
Strongly criticising the government’s move, Congress, CPI-M and other opposition parties launched agitations demanding withdrawal of the new tariffs.
Tripura Pradesh Congress vice-president said as the first step they have organised agitations in all the district headquarters on Monday to withdraw the new tariffs.
Former chief minister and opposition leader Manik Sarkar and former health minister and deputy opposition leader Badal Choudhury in a letter to the Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb urged the BJP-led government to withdraw the increased rates.
“It was most inhumane that the state government has increased the tariff of services in government hospitals by 100 to 200 per cent. The new tariffs are higher than the private hospitals and nursing homes,” they said in the letter.
The Congress supporters staged demonstration in front of GBP hospital and Agartala Government Medical College and Hospital.
The CPI-M members and supporters gheraoed the office of director of health services at Gorkhabasti area in Agartala.