Though he put up a brave face in front of the media following the Supreme Court verdict on reinstating P Venugopal as AIIMS director, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss went into hiding soon after. Ramadoss, who had lobbied incessantly for the amendment that had led to the exit of Venugopal from AIIMS, was conspicuously absent at a cabinet meeting a day later. As a result, even an informal discussion on the issue, which had caused severe embarrassment to the Government, could not be taken up.

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