Those transferred include two senior MSMTA functionaries - high-profile cardiologist Anil Kumar and eminent ophthalmologist T P Lahaney. While Dr Anil Kumar, general secretary of MSMTA, has been transferred to Nagpur, Dr Lahaney, a member of the association's executive committee, has been moved to Ambajogai in Beed district. Noted surgeon G B Davar and his gynaecologist wife Rekha too have been transferred to Nagpur.

However, Aher has not touched the controversial dean of the J J Group of Hospitals, D D Dongaonkar, against whom specific charges of irregularities in the purchase of CT scan and MRIequipment worth Rs 12 crore were levelled in the budget session of the state legislature. In all 71 teachers have been transferred.

"We will not hesitate to move a contempt petition against Aher and also the Medical Education Secretary for deliberately ignoring the high court directives," a senior office-bearer of the MSMTA told Express Newsline.

The HC directives were issued in 1987 when MSMTA had challenged a similar mass-transfer order. Disposing of the petition, a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice V A Mohta and Justice M S Deshpande had then upheld the government's right to transfer medical teachers, but had directed it to issue a complete list of teachers proposed to be transferred from the next academic session by the end of December.

Other conditions laid down by the court included - restraint in transferring those who were likely to retire in three years; no transfers of qualified and recognised guides which could result in reduction of post-graduate seats in a college;and timely replacement of such guides. "It is our firm view that the transfer orders issued by the alliance government are against the spirit of the high court order passed a decade ago. It is unfortunate that such orders have been passed despite the fact that Aher himself is a qualified surgeon and his deputy, minister of State for health, Vijaykumar Gavit, was a professor of medicine before he joined politics," the MSMTA office-bearer added.

In Dr Anil Kumar's case, there is clear breach of the court order. From a teaching hospital, he has been transferred to a non-teaching super speciality institute at Nagpur. "At the Grant Medical College, Dr Anil Kumar was a post-graduate teacher, while in Nagpur, he will lose this status. Also, the number of DM (super speciality in cardiology) seats will be reduced at the Grant Medical College as the doctor, who will replace him is not a recognised teacher in cardiology," the MSMTA office-bearer added. As far as Dr Lahaney is concerned, his transfer looks like apunishment.

"Both his kidneys have been transplanted and he requires dialysis on a regular basis. At Ambajogai these facilities are not available," he said.