Friday, June 16 2006 14:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Accusing certain doctors in AIIMS of converting the prestigious institution into a 'political hub', Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss today (June 16, 2006) warned of action against them.

"A handful of doctors of AIIMS are converting the institution of world repute into a 'political hub' rather than letting it remain a 'medical hub' and action against them will be taken for their acts," Ramadoss told reporters on the sidelines of a medical seminar here.

Describing the current problems at AIIMS as an internal issue, the Health Minister said he, as president of AIIMS, would sort out the issue, when he returned to Delhi on June 19.

Denying AIIMS Director Dr P Venugopal's allegation of his interference in the day-to-day functioning of the institute, he wondered whether his efforts for getting a Rs 500 crore budget sanctioned for the institute and reviving a few units of the AIIMS, was interference.

He said he could not understand why the internal affairs of AIIMS were being made public adding that those responsible for this would be pulled up.

"I have not interfered in the monthly and yearly functioning of the AIIMS and it is wrong to say that day-to-day administraion was affected by my interference," he said.

He said the protest in AIIMS now was only a continuation of last month's anti-reservation agitation and the doctors who instigated the students' agitation then, were behind the protests now.