New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry's move to sack the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr P Venugopal, has drawn widespread reactions from political parties and medical bodies alike while the Congress made a fervent appeal not to politicise the issue as it "was a matter between the Ministry of Health and the institute run by the Union government"
"No political party should get involved in the controversy as it is not fair to politicise each and every issue," Congress Spokesman Rajeev Shukla said.
Condemning the move, the Left parties sought United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's intervention. They emphasised that they did not approve of the ‘Centre's meddling into the functioning of the premier institute'.
Leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Forward Bloc said that was not the way to treat a prestigious institution like AIIMS. CPI floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Gurudas Dasgupta, said, "We do not approve of this. An institute like this should have not been treated such.''
The CPI veteran said the Government's action had to be condemned. ''AIIMS autonomy must be respected,'' he said.
Forward Bloc secretary G Devrajan deplored that the Government was trying to interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the country's premier medical institution. ''It is not a simple matter between the management and Venugopal. The Government must inform the nation about what is happening there,'' he said.
RSP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Abani Roy was more forthcoming and harsh when he alleged that Ramadoss was all out to promote his own parivar(clan). ''It is all the more unfortunate that while the Prime Minister is so indifferent and bearing with such a minister, who is so bluntly promoting his family's interests. He did the same while appointing the Chairman of the Medical Examination Board and while setting up an AIIMS-like institute in Pondicherry,'' he said.
CPI-M veteran and Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe asked the Government to settle the issue amicably in consultation with the union leaders who are agitating against the sacking of Venugopal.
Delhi BJP Chief Harshvardhan termed the dismissal of AIIMS Director P Venugopal as a 'grave humiliation' of the medical fraternity and urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to intervene in the issue.
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"President Kalam should intervene and protect the honour of the medical world of India because he is himself a scientist," Dr Harshvardhan said. "Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is behaving in a despotic manner and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is silent," he added.
Joining hands with doctors at AIIMS, the Association of Resident Doctors of the prestigious Post Graduate Institute for Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) at Chandigarh condemned the sacking of AIIMS director P Venugopal, saying the move was 'politically motivated'.
"It (sacking of Venugopal) is further encroachment on the autonomy and functioning of institutions of higher learning and excellence," ARD spokesman Dr Subh Mohan Singh said. "Venugopal must be re-instated with immediate effect," he said, demanding the removal of Anbumani Ramadoss.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) sought the intervention of the President and the Prime Minister to 'save' the premier institute and revoke the decision.
Describing the move as 'shocking and shameful', IMA Secretary General Vinay Aggarwal said: ''Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is targeting Dr Venugopal and the autonomy of AIIMS. The entire medical fraternity is with Dr Venugopal, a renowned cardiologist. This will not be tolerated."
"The decision smacks of ill-designs of Dr Ramadoss, especially at a time when the High Court is seized of the matter on the working of AIIMS," he alleged. Dr Aggarwal said the decision is in total disregard of the Dr Venugopal's credentials and reputation.
"The same Government had given him an extension two-and-half-a-years ago and today they have dismissed him. It is shameful and shocking," he added.
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