SC verdict a victory for AIIMS: Dr Venugopal

BATTLE FOR AIIMS: The doctor says that it his duty as director to uphold the dignity of AIIMS.

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SC reinstates Dr Venugopal as AIIMS director

Supreme Court on Thursday reinstated Dr P Venugopal as AIIMS director.

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The Supreme Court backed the underdog on Thursday and reinstated Dr P Venugopal as Director of AIIMS. The verdict comes as a huge embarrassment for Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss. Dr P Venugopal will now continue his term as director till July this year. Talking exclusively to CNN-IBN's National Affairs Editor, Diptosh Majumdar, the doctor said the verdict was a victory for the institute.

P Venugopal: I consider it as a victory for the institute and the director. The institute owes everything to us. The director is supposed to act as the custodian of the institute. The judgment upholds the Constitution and the rights of the director. And I will continue to fight for the rights of the institute. Whether victimisation or confrontation, it is my duty as a director to uphold the dignity of the institute.

Diptosh Majumdar: There is one allegation that Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is always making against you that you may be a very capable doctor but you are not a good administrator.

P Venugopal: That is his imagination. How much autonomy can you enjoy? The institution was created in 1956 by an Act of Parliament envisaged for the autonomy of the institute. Over the years that has been diluted. This is not a recent problem, it has been happening for some time now.

Diptosh Majumdar: But this particular action, the Parliament Act, had certainly tried to curtail the powers of the director by lowering the duration of his tenure.

P Venugopal: No, it was aimed at…

Diptosh Majumdar: Aimed at Venugopal and the institute?

P Venugopal: Let’s frame it the other way. That it is to curtail your powers.

Diptosh Majumdar: When you say your powers, it obviously means Dr Venugopal.

P Venugopal: They want to clip your wings and sort of take advantage. They have the power to do so.

VENUGOPAL VS RAMADOSS
	Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and Dr P Venugopal had had a bitter row after which Dr Venugopal was ousted as AIIMS director by an amendment in the AIIMS Act.
	The amendment, amde in November 2007, reduced the director's retirement age to 65 years, thus forcing Dr Venugopal — who is 66 years old — to quit.
	Venugopal had challenged the amendment to the Act in the Supreme Court saying it was introduced by the Government specifically with the intention of removing him from the post.
	Venugopal is a very well known cardiac surgeon and was in the last year of his term as director, when Parliament passed the amendement.
	He and Ramadoss have had several public spats in the past, especially as the OBC quota row gained momentum on the AIIMS campus.
	The Health Minister had once before even sacked Dr Venugopal for indiscipline, but the director remained entrenched in his post after he got a stay from the Delhi High Court.
	On Thursday, Supreme Court struck down the amendment and said that Dr Venugopal should be brought back. The order also said the amendment was made only to remove Dr Venugopal.