Don't politicise AIIMS campus: doctors, students

New Delhi -- Resident doctors and students of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Wednesday while welcoming the Delhi High Court's decision to restrain the hospital's governing body from taking any action to remove director P. Venugopal, asked the government to stop politicising the institution.

"We have been working so hard to serve the people during the dengue crisis but the health minister (Anubumani Ramadoss) is trying to gain political mileage out of the outbreak," said Anil Sharma, president resident doctors' association.

"We have faith in the judiciary and we are happy the decision has come at the right time and has helped protect the hospital from becoming a play ground for the politicians."

He said Ramadoss had called for an extraordinary meeting to discuss the failure of the AIIMS authorities in handling the dengue problem both inside the hostels and with the patients.

He alleged the minister was trying to target Venugopal through this crisis and remove him from the director's post.

"Even the prime minister (Manmohan Singh) had praised our efforts in controlling the dengue virus and this meeting by the minister was uncalled for," Sharma said, adding, "these politicians should not try to settle personal scores through the institute."

"Stop politicising AIIMS and please let us work, is our message to the minister," he said.

Similar was the reaction from another resident doctor Manu Kukreja.

"The motive was to defame AIIMS and remove the director."

The court Wednesday directed the governing body not to take up for consideration any proposal seeking the removal of Venugopal.

Judge P. Anil Kumar delivered the judgment on a fresh application by Venugopal last week seeking court intervention against any move by the governing body to terminate his services.

The high court had stayed the removal of Venugopal earlier this year. The governing body had decided to remove the renowned cardiologist from the post of director on grounds of misconduct.

Apart from the resident doctors, the director also enjoys huge support from medical students of the hospital.

"There is no question of removal of the director. We students will not let someone play dirty politics in AIIMS," said Animay Narain Sharma, president of the AIIMS students' union.

"Judiciary has always come to our rescue and this is just another example. We are very grateful to the court for its decision."