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BFUHS row: Punjab CM, Jouramajra discuss V-C’s resignation
It was for the first time that Punjab health minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra met chief minister Bhagwant Mann after the controversy broke out during the former’s visit to the Faridkot university on July 29, where he asked V-C Dr Raj Bahadur to lie on a ‘dirty’ bed
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday discussed the issue of resignation of vice-chancellor (V-C) of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, with health and medical education minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra during a meeting of the department held here.
It was for the first time that the health minister met Mann after the controversy broke out during the former’s visit to the Faridkot university on July 29, where he asked V-C Dr Raj Bahadur to lie on a ‘dirty’ bed.
According to a senior government functionary, the issue was discussed at length in a one-on-one meeting between the CM and his cabinet colleague. However, the details of the meeting have not been known yet.
It was the first public appearance of the health minister in any meeting after the controversy raked up a day after the incident on July 30. The minister had switched off his mobile phone thereafter and, as per sources, tried to meet the CM, but the latter avoided him in a bid to express his displeasure over the episode.
Mann had called up the V-C soon after he tendered his resignation on July 30 and invited him to meet him. The meeting, however, couldn’t take place as the V-C tested positive for Covid.
Sources close to the V-C had maintained that he was not ready to rejoin and had already conveyed the same in a detailed letter sent to the chief minister.
The government, however, is learnt to be in no mood to make any decision on the resignation before the CM’s meeting with the V-C.
Meanwhile, Mann on Thursday reviewed the preparedness of the health department to combat another Covid wave.
He directed the department to immediately issue a detailed advisory for people to take necessary precautions regarding prevention of the disease. Mann said it was the need of hour to ensure that people do not fall prey to Covid and added that the department should also pull up its socks to tackle any sort of unforeseen contingency.
The CM also asked the department to expedite the work on Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences coming up at Mohali. He asked the officers to ensure that the work on this prestigious project is completed by December 2022.
