The Hindu : Front Page : If anyone wants to resign he is free to do so: Anbumani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 16, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

If anyone wants to resign he is free to do so: Anbumani

Special Correspondent

`My only interference in AIIMS is that I got Rs. 500 crore released for it'

NEW DELHI: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said on Thursday that if anyone wanted to resign from a post, he was free to do so.

Reacting to the statement made by P. Venugopal, Director of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here that he would not hesitate to quit his post if the Minister did not stop interfering in the functioning of the institute, Mr. Ramadoss said, "If anybody wants to resign, he is free to resign."

Describing the development with AIIMS as a continuation of the anti-reservation agitation, Dr. Ramadoss told The Hindu over phone from Chennai that a few members of the faculty were instigating some people on the issue.

"For the past three years, AIIMS administration was ineffective and my only interference was that I got Rs. 500 crore released for it and got some pending projects completed. It is wrong on the part of some to instigate people," he added.

Dr. P. Venugopal in a statement said, "During the last two years there has been a systematic undermining of the Institute and the authority of its Director. I being the Director am disturbed with the humiliation to the respect and dignity of my faculty, officers, residents, students and staff. As the head of the AIIMS family, it is my bounden duty to either ensure that the legitimate interest of the Institute and its functionaries are maintained or seek justice from appropriate authorities."

Meanwhile, demanding the immediate removal of Mr. Ramadoss as president of AIIMS and the resignation of the Institute Dean, Dr. R.C. Deka, members of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) held a protest demonstration and gheraoed the Dean's residence.

The protest came in the wake of the notice being issued on Tuesday to doctors informing them of a salary cut for 17 days when they were on an anti-reservation strike last month.

Speaking after an interaction with the Dean, the president of the RDA, Dr. Binod Patro, said, "The Minister has been targeting AIIMS and victimising faculties and other staff for vested interests and reasons best known to him. We are demanding the immediate removal of the Dean who has been appointed by Dr. Ramadoss bypassing procedure and many other senior faculties."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page