New Delhi: The Union Government on Tuesday submitted before the Delhi high court that it would withdraw the order of termination of the services of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr P Venugopal.
Appearing before a bench comprising acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Gambhir, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said the Government had decided to withdraw the dismissal order and discuss the issue before the governing body of the institute in its next meeting.
As soon as the matter came up for hearing, the bench said the matter was pending before the single bench and it would not hear the submission of the Government.
Subramanium said, "We are prepared to rescind the termination. He is an emminent doctor and we respect him."
AIIMS doctors and students, who protested against Venugopal's dismissal, welcomed the Centre's submission in the high court that it will withdraw the termination order and said they were hopeful that the institute's autonomy will be preserved.
The AIIMS Faculty Association and the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) said the move would bring stability in the premier healthcare institute.
"This is a good step. Finally the Government has realised its mistake. AIIMS will move towards stability now," AIIMS Faculty Association general secretary, K K Handa, said.
Expressing similar views, RDA President Binod Patra said it was "fairness of the judicial process" that had made the Government realise its mistake.
"Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss must realise his mistake now. He should learn a lesson from the way the judiciary has upheld truth," he added.
On July 5, the AIIMS Institute Body, headed by the Health Minister dismissed Dr Venugopal for violating the code of conduct.
On July 7, Dr Venugopal obtained a stay from a single bench of the High Court and resumed work the next day.
The matter will come up for hearing before the single bench on August 17.
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