New Delhi: Faculty members from nearly all departments of AIIMS New Delhi on Wednesday staged a peaceful symbolic march demanding the immediate implementation of rotatory headship — a decision already approved by the ministry of health & family welfare (MoHFW) but pending for close to two years. They also threatened to intensify their agitation in the coming weeks. The march began from the JLN auditorium, AIIMS, and was intended to proceed towards the Prime Minister’s Office via Gate No. 1. However, participants were stopped by police at the gate, where barricades were erected. Despite repeated requests by faculty representatives, they were not allowed to move forward. The faculty members, meanwhile, have resolved to intensify the protest, announcing that the next one will be held at Jantar Mantar. Invitations will also be extended to medical colleges and faculty associations across India to join what they described as a national campaign for institutional democracy and fairness. Reiterating their demand, faculty representatives said their struggle is rooted in transparency, rotation-based leadership and equality in decision-making at premier institutes like AIIMS and PGIMER. “On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, inspired by Gandhiji’s principles, we are undertaking this Dandi March in pursuit of truth and justice,” a faculty member said. In a statement, the faculty association of AIIMS urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union health minister J P Nadda, who is also president of AIIMS, to intervene. “This demand is not for personal gain but for fairness and democracy in our premier institutes. We sincerely request the Prime Minister to ensure implementation of a decision that is already approved,” it said.
