Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma. Subramanian on Wednesday informed the Assembly that the Dean of Madurai Medical College A. Rathinavel, who was shifted and placed in “vacancy reserve” following a controversy over administering the ‘Maharshi Charak Shapath’, was being reinstated on Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s intervention.
Dr. Rathinavel was relieved of his post and placed in vacancy reserve on Sunday last after first-year students of the college took the ‘Maharishi Charak Shapath’ (a modified oath), instead of the conventional Hippocratic Oath, during the ‘white coat ceremony’ held last Saturday.
Earlier M.H. Jawahirullah of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, G.K. Mani of the PMK, K. Selvaperunthagai of the Congress, and S.S. Balaji of the VCK raised the issue in the Assembly. Mr. Mani requested the government to reconsider the decision to place the dean on compulsory wait.
In response, Mr. Subramanian explained the whole issue and said the Chief Minister had directed the Health Department to reinstate Dr. Rathinavel “considering his good work during the COVID-19 pandemic” and following his explanation on the matter.
Following the Minister’s announcement, official sources in Madurai confirmed the reinstatement of Dr. Rathinavel to his previous position on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Director of Medical Education Narayana Babu, had conducted an enquiry into the incident and said he would submit a report to the government for further action.
Earlier, the office-bearers of the students’ council, which had organised the ‘white coat ceremony,’ took the blame for taking ‘Charak Shapath’ since it was recommended by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and clarified that none of the medical college officials were aware of it.
