Mysuru: BJP workers staged a protest condemning the decision to close Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendra, which was functioning at K.R. Hospital premises in Mysuru yesterday.

The protesters, under the leadership of K.R. MLA T.S. Srivatsa, who held placards and raised slogans against the State Government, alleged that the Janaushadhi Kendra that was opened by the Central Government at K.R. Hospital premises, was ordered to be closed only to help private druggists mafia. The patients earlier had access to medicines at affordable rate, but now the State Government has deliberately ordered for the closure of Janaushadhi Kendra.

Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendra was launched across the country, with the sole intention of providing medicine to the needy, without tearing their wallet. Similarly, the previous BJP Government in the State opened the Kendras at all districts of the State and several thousands of people have benefitted for the past five years.

K.R. Hospital, which is popularly known as Doddaspatre, has been catering to the economically weaker patients from Mysuru and surrounding districts like  Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Kodagu. Till Janaushadhi Kendra was opened, the patients had to buy medicines at private medical stores by paying a hefty sum, the protesters alleged.

They demanded that Janaushadhi Kendra be opened at the earliest in the interest of the patients.

State BJP Minorities Morcha President Dr. Anil Thomas, City BJP President and former MLA L. Nagendra, former Chairman of Karnataka Exhibition Authority B.P. Manjunath, City BJP General Secretaries H.G. Giridhar and B.M. Raghu, Paramesh Gowda, Gokul Govardhan, Kiran Gowda, Puneeth, Renuka Raj, Roopa, Cauvery, Neha and other leaders took part in the protest.