AIIMS Director P Venugopal proceeded on leave on Friday even as Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss warned of action against him.
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director P Venugopal proceeded on leave on Friday even as Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss warned of action against him accusing him of having kindled the protests on reservation issue.
Dr Ramadoss, on the sidelines of a medical conference in Chennai, said, the issue should not be politicised as it was an ''internal matter of the Institute,'' adding ''I will be settling it soon after I reach Delhi on Monday.''
Dr Venugopal's had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday apprising him of the situation at the premier medical institute and threatening to resign due to alleged interference in day-to-day working of AIIMS and undermining of his authority by the Health Minister.
He had conveyed his displeasure to the Prime Minister over the 'systematic dilution of the institute’s autonomy' by the Health Minister.
Dr Ramadoss, said: "I am not interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the AIIMS. The administration has not been proper for the past two years. I took some steps to set it right''.
Accusing certain AIIMS doctors of converting the prestigious institution into a political hub, he warned of action against them. ''A handful of doctors of AIIMS are converting the institution of world repute into a political hub rather than letting it remain a medical hub and action will be taken against them,'' he said.
Coming out strongly in support of Dr Venugopal, doctors and students of the hospital had launched a signature campaign against the dilution of its autonomy by the Union Health Ministry.
They demanded that Dr Ramadoss be removed as AIIMS President and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) take direct control of the institute.
They alleged that the recent move of the Ministry to remove several senior functionaries, interference in day-to-day functioning of AIIMS and bypassing Dr Venugopal was fallout of the anti-quota agitation.
They also demanded that AIIMS Dean Dr R C Deka, directly appointed by the Health Minister, be removed and Sub Dean Dr Neerja Bhatla, who was replaced by Dr Sunil Chumber, and spokesperson Dr Aarti Vij, who was replaced by Dr Shakti Gupta, be reinstated.
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