The Hindu : Front Page : AIIMS body for sacking Venugopal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 06, 2006

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AIIMS body for sacking Venugopal

Aarti Dhar

"He violated conduct rules"

Dr. Venugopal

NEW DELHI: The Institute Body of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Wednesday recommended the immediate dismissal of Director P. Venugopal.

A three-hour meeting of the highest decision-making body, chaired by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, recommended the dismissal for violation of Rule 9 of the Conduct Rules. Dissent came from three out of the 15 members of the 17-member body that passed the supplementary resolution seeking the removal of Dr. Venugopal.

The recommendation has been sent to the Government, as it has to be ratified by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. "We gave our recommendations to the Government but since this is privileged information, I cannot divulge more at this point of time," Dr. Ramadoss told reporters.

Resident doctors on strike

Members of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) immediately began an indefinite strike, forcing closure of emergency services.

The two-page resolution moved by the Minister himself said that "in view of Dr. Venugopal's conduct, it is proposed that his continuation will vitiate discipline in the AIIMS further, and that it would be in the public interest to terminate the term of Dr. Venugopal with immediate effect and give him three months salary and allowances in lieu of the notice period."

The resolution said Dr. Venugopal gathered faculty, students and outsiders in the AIIMS auditorium and openly criticised the Government for allegedly interfering in the affairs of the Institute. This led to tension, caused indiscipline and brought a bad name to it.

Dr. Venugopal was asked to leave the meeting room when the resolution was taken up. He was later called in and a copy of the resolution was given to him.

While the BJP described the move as "undemocratic, unconstitutional and unprecedented," the Congress said it was a matter between the Ministry and an institution, and should not be politicised.

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