Jubilant scenes at AIIMS as Venugopal reinstated

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) There were jubilant scenes at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here Thursday after the Supreme Court reinstated P. Venugopal as the director, with doctors and students distributing sweets and flowers as they gathered at the residence of the renowned cardiologist who was ousted after a turf war with Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

The apex court Thursday struck down the AIIMS Amendment Act that fixed the retirement age of the institute director at 65 years and said Venugopal's ouster was illegal.

"We are grateful to the judiciary and call upon the central government to sack Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss," said Kumar Harsh, president of the AIIMS resident doctors association.

"Instead of focusing on issues like malnutrition, child death, the minister is getting involved in publicity stunts. We demand the resignation of Ramadoss," Harsh added.

Authorities said that Venugopal would assume his charge "very soon", six months after he was made to vacate the top seat.

Kaushal Mishra, another elated doctor, told IANS: "He was just out of action and going to join his office. We don't need a government order for him to resume charge of AIIMS.'

Mishra said: "We are going to decorate AIIMS in celebration of our victory. By evening you will see AIIMS looking like a newly wed bride."

A bench of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and H.S. Bedi, while terming the law as 'malafide and unconstitutional', also observed that it was enacted with the sole purpose to target the cardiologist.