Upset over three consecutive administrative changes in the institute that the Health Ministry ordered after he went on leave on June 3, AIIMS director P Venugopal cut short his vacation and returned to tell his faculty members, staff and students, that he will resign if ‘‘the dignity and autonomy’’ of the Institute is not maintained. He expressed displeasure over the ‘‘the undue interference in the institute.’’

The simmering tussle between the AIIMS director and Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss is almost two years old. According to sources, the AIIMS director and the Health Minister did not get along from the very beginning as Venugopal was seen as “a BJP-appointee”. Problems began with Ramadoss’s stay at the AIIMS guest house when he became Health Minister.

According to sources, Venugopal has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.

Sources said Venugopal was not happy with the Health Ministry’s appointment of Dr R C Deka as dean superceding Dr K S Reddy, head of Cardiology, and Dr T D Dogra, head of Forensic Medicine, as recommended by the search committee of the institute.

The problem took a different turn after the anti-reservation strike. The Health Ministry blamed the AIIMS administration for supporting the striking doctors.

Without taking names, Venugopal said, ‘‘During the last two years, there has been a systematic undermining of the institute and the authority of the director.’’

After addressing the packed auditorium in the AIIMS campus, where the students and faculty expressed solidarity with the director, Venugopal proceeded on leave again. He wrote a letter to Ramadoss, recommending Dr T.D. Dogra’s name as acting director.

Ramadoss said he will seek an explanation from the AIIMS director for going public with his grievances. ‘‘He has to give a satisfactory reply or action will be taken against him,’’ said Ramadoss.

Venugopal, in an exclusive interview to The Indian Express, said he was disturbed by the recent happenings. ‘‘I am disturbed by the humiliation of my faculty, officers, residents, students and staff. As the head of the AIIMS family, it is my duty to ensure the legitimate interests of the institute and its functionaries. If I fail to do so, I won’t hesitate to leave for somebody else to take over,’’ he said.

‘‘I went to the podium not as the director but as part of faculty and part of AIIMS and wanted to know the opinion of my family over the issue,’’ he said.

Remembering his 47-year association with the Institute, he called AIIMS an ‘‘extension of myself.’’ ‘‘I joined the institute as an 18-year-old who grew up with the spirit of research, education and patient care. Unfortunately, the vision was not shared by others who were involved in the decision-making. So the process suffered setbacks,’’ he said.

‘‘Even in day-to-day administration, there was undue interference, flouting even the basic procedures on various occasions. Things were getting out of control. So what I did today was important,’’ said the legendary cardiac surgeon.

‘‘I was offered the post of director in 1996, I declined it as the transplant programme in the country had just started. Even in 2003, I accepted the post only after the government gave me assurance that I will continue my work as a surgeon,’’ he said.

‘‘I have been offered jobs outside the institute, in India and abroad but I didn’t accept the offers. I owe my services to my country and I will always do that,’’ he added. ‘‘I don’t even have a home outside AIIMS. The institute is my home,’’ said Venugopal.

He, however, said that his fight was not against any individual. ‘‘This is not about an individual but about the institute,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, the Faculty Association in a statement demanded the immediate removal of the health minister as president of AIIMS. ‘‘Dr Ramadoss has been personally targeting AIIMS and victimising faculty members and other staff for vested interest. AIIMS should be governed directly by the President or the Prime minister like a Central university with complete autonomy,’’ Dr K.K. Handa, associate professor of ENT and an office-bearer of the association, said.

The students of AIIMS, meanwhile, started a signature campaign against the health minister and Dean Dr Deka.

Ramadoss, however, refuted all charges of interference. ‘‘The interference I have done is increasing the budget from Rs 400 to 500 crore for AIIMS,’’ he told The Indian Express from Chennai.

‘‘The administration at AIIMS had completely collapsed in the past two years and more so for the past two months. The public opinion of AIIMS is going down,’’ he said.

On Dr Venugopal’s threat of resignation, he said: ‘‘Anybody is welcome to resign if he wants to. He should just resign and not lobby like this.’’

Reacting to the allegation of making administrative changes without consulting the director, the minister said it was his prerogative.

‘‘If the director goes on vacation for months, I can’t wait for his return,’’ he said. Ramadoss said that this issue was a continuation of the reservation issue. ‘‘People who were instigating the anti-reservation protests are instigating this issue as well. Everybody is not supporting the director,’’ he said.

‘‘During the last two years, there has been a systematic undermining of the institute and the authority of the director... Things were getting out of control.’’

— Dr Venugopal

‘‘The administration at AIIMS had completely collapsed in the past two years and more so for past two months. The public opinion of AIIMS is going down.’’

— Dr Ramadoss

The last round

• September 2005

AIIMS Director recommends Head of Cardiology Dr K.S. Reddy for the post of dean. Followed by Dr T.D. Dogra, head of forensic medicine, the seniormost faculty member.

A Search committee which includes Secretary, Health and DGHS formed.

• May 1, 2006

Dr R.C. Deka, 24th on seniority list, appointed dean.

May 20

Minister directs director, AIIMS, to give show-cause notices to 12 faculty members for instigating anti-reservation protests.

May 29

Secretary directs AIIMS head to warn faculty members.

May 31

AIIMS head asked to take action against the medical superintendent for instigating the faculty to join the hunger strike. AIIMS head accused of siding with agitating students.

June 3

Senior Financial Advisor Mayank Sharma repatriated to his parent cadre, hours after AIIMS director left on a vacation.

June 9

Dr Neerja Bhatia, appointed sub dean two months ago, relieved of the charge and Dr Sunil Chimber made sub dean without the director’s approval.

Aarti Vij relieved of her media charge, Dr Shakti Gupta appointed.

June 14

Faculty meets the Prime Minister seeking removal of health minister as AIIMS president.