AIIMS - Another pre-eminent institution at peril

If Arjun Singh : IIT/IIM , Then Anbumani Ramadoss : AIIMS. Its a clash in India now between the reservation lobby and Meritocracy. The Sacking of AIIMS director Dr.Venugopal ( an eminent cardiologist and Padma Bhushan awardee) is yet another battle between the pro-reservation ministers and public institutions. The AIIMS sags is yet another example of bloated ego's,dis-respect for democracy and lack of inaction at the centre.

Thankfully the battle has a temporary reprieve since the High Court has stayed the dismissal (thereby snubbing the minster) . Interestingly, Arun Jaitley represented Dr.Venugopal in the high court. The embarassed minister might now head to the Supreme court.

What is shocking in this as well as the NLC divestment plan ( where the DMK threatened to withdraw support to the centre if it went ahead with the plan) , is the lack of spine at the centre. The congress continues to flounder badly in managing the coalition and has virtually become a prisoner of the allies where the smaller parties blackmail the centre to satisfy their vested interests. Shekar Gupta (Editor , IE) comments about this undermining of authority.