Srinagar: The government Friday said that it will accept the retirement of Government Medical College Principal Dr Rafeeque Ahmed Pampori, who has gone on protest leave following his differences with the Health minister Choudhary Lal Singh.

Lal Singh said that the government was going to accept the retirement of GMC principal.

“It is his (GMC Principal’s) own decision. If he wants to go, the government has no problem. We will find a deserving person to head the GMC,” Singh told KNS.

“I am the minister of the health and medical education department to take decisions which are for the welfare of the people and for patients,” Singh added.

Dr Rafeeque Ahmed Pampori went on a protest leave and said that he will seek voluntary retirement from his services, which were ending in February 2018.

Dr Pampori said he has written to Health and Medical Education Department for voluntary retirement from February 1, 2016 and requesting leave from today.

“It is upto the government to accept my retirement,” Dr Pampori said. “If the government restores the dignity of the post of Principal, then I may reconsider,” he said.

Sources in the health and medical education department said that the principal has sought voluntary retirement following “too much interference” with the concerned minister in running the affairs of prestigious health institute of state. 

“The minister and the principal were not going well for some months after differences with the former over a number of things which were happening continuously in the running of the administration of the GMC institutes. GMC Principal was a captain of a team which was controlled by the minister himself. He had no say in the field,” sources said.

Sources said that five GMC hospitals- Chest Disease, Psychiatry, GB Pant, Bones and Joints- are not functioning properly given to direct interference of the minister. (KNS)