JIPMER faculty and employees affiliated to a host of staff unions and associations wore black badges to work as a mark of protest against the one-year extension given to the Director after he had completed a full five-year term.
The protest, part of an ongoing agitation seeking the revocation of the extension which had been granted allegedly in violation of norms, was led by the JIPMER Faculty Association, JIPMER Hospital Employees Union, JIPMER SC, ST Staff Welfare Association, JIPMER SC/ST cum Minorities Staff Welfare Association, JIPMER Staff OBC Employees Welfare Association and JIPMER National Importance Hospital Employees Union.
According to the organisations, the Director had been given an extension even after his five-year tenure concluded on December 31, 2023. This, they said, was in violation of the JIPMER Act-2008 Rules and Regulations.
The organisations alleged that through the tenure, JIPMER Director Rakesh Aggarwal through inept and authoritarian leadership, had caused damage to the interests of the institution, the employees and patients.
The patients were deprived of drugs for a long period and subjected to hardship due to his micromanagement of trivial issues instead of putting focus on long-term plans and the welfare of patients, the unions allaged. They also accused the incumbent of a vindictive attitude that had created a “toxic environment” that caused misery for several faculty members and employees and threatened to destroy the legacy institution.
The employee unions have urged the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to terminate his tenure and repatriate him to his parent institute immediately, and resolved to continue with the protests until the request is met.