M A I N   N E W S

MCI chairman’s behaviour ‘forces’ secretary to resign
Aditi Tandon/TNS

New Delhi, June 21
The Medical Council of India (MCI) is back in the news for all the wrong reasons, with secretary of the council putting in her papers protesting the chairman’s alleged “indecent and rough behaviour towards her”. Sangeeta Sharma, who joined as secretary on March 25 this year during the tenure of the former Board of Governors, has accused Dr KK Talwar, chairman, Board of Governors, MCI, and former director, PGI, Chandigarh, of “repeatedly shouting at her and reprimanding her for not knowing something that happened in the past, fully knowing that she was a recent incumbent to the post”.

KK Talwar

In her resignation letter dated June 14 - a copy is in the possession of The Tribune - Sharma stated that she was quitting under duress. “I am forced to resign due to the rough behaviour of the chairman? especially in front of the junior staff, which I find utterly insulting, humiliating and damaging to my dignity, as it is much below the dignity of a lady to bear it while it is also much below social acceptability and sanctioned behaviour of the man of the status of chairman of the Board of Governors, particularly vis-à-vis a lady officer of any rank let alone that of the secretary of the MCI," Sharma says in the letter, still under consideration of the MCI.

Appointment row On May 11 this year, the Ministry of Health had written to the MCI Board of Governors (then under chairman SK Sarin) to explain whether due processes laid down under recruitment rules were followed in the appointment of Sharma as secretary or whether the same was done wholly on the request from Sarin. Sangeeta Sharma today claimed she had satisfactorily replied to the matter.

While Dr Talwar remained unavailable for comments despite repeated calls on his cell, MCI sources admitted the chairman was “at times, rude to Sharma”. Sharma further alleged that attempts are being made to link her resignation with another issue of her appointment, earlier raised by the Health Ministry.

She told The Tribune today that she had replied to the ministry’s queries regarding her appointment, which was done under due processes. “I have been pained by attempts to link my resignation with my appointment. This matter stands resolved and there are no CBI cases pending against me, as is being alleged. I wanted to quit the MCI silently because the chairman was throwing files at me and I could not bear it . He has yet not discussed my resignation. It stands until things are resolved amicably,” Sharma said.

Contradictions to her stand, however, arose a press statement she issued saying there was no issue or dispute pending between the Board of Governors and secretary, MCI. Asked to clarify, Sharma said: “All I mean is my resignation and appointment are two separate issues”.