BFUHS Vice Chancellor appointment row: Dr GS Wander withdraws candidature after Governor rejects Government move

Ludhiana: The controversies associated with the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) continue as the noted cardiologist Dr Gurpreet Singh Wander recently withdrew his candidature for the post amidst an ongoing political tussle between the state government and the governor.  

The development comes days after Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit rejected the state government's move to appoint Wander as the V-C alleging that it went against the rules and sought a list of three names to choose from, which was reported by the Medical Dialogues team.

Also Read:Punjab Governor turns down appointment of Dr GS Wander as new BFUHS Vice Chancellor

Sources said that Wander has withdrawn his candidature citing personal reasons. It is learned that he has informed the chief minister's office about his decision. This means the Bhagwant Mann-led government will now have to send a panel of three candidates for the VC post of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, without Wander's name.

Dr Wander said that he has withdrawn his name from the candidature after the controversy began in his name and he further requested the government not to put his name in the three candidates panel to the governor. Speaking to the Times of India, he said that he is a professional person and is not interested in getting into a controversy. 

The doctor stated that he would continue with his clinical work and serve the people at DMCH, adding that he has left the vice principal post. He said, "Chief Minister had announced so there was no confusion in his mind and he had gone to Faridkot and saw the entire hospital for necessary changes. Every day we used to discuss, but there is no fun in getting into controversy. I was going to leave behind everything here and for making a positive contribution, but that has come into controversy, so what can be done." 

Governor Purohit had on Tuesday sent back the file with the proposal to appoint Wander as VC. Chief Minister Mann had, on September 30, 2022, made the announcement regarding Wander's appointment.

Reacting to the development, Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Bikram Singh Majithia said an eminent cardiologist has been embarrassed and forced to withdraw his candidature for the VC's post solely because the AAP government mismanaged the appointment process. "An eminent cardiologist, Dr Gurpreet Singh Wander, has been embarrassed & forced to withdraw his candidature for the post of VC of Baba Farid Univ of Health Sciences, Faridkot solely becoz the @AAPPunjab govt mismanaged the appointment process. The govt owes an apology to Dr Wander," Majithia said in a tweet.

When asked that the governor has refused to approve the state government's choice for the VC's post, CM Mann on Tuesday said if he has desired, the state government will send a panel of three names for appointment. Mann, however, had said the tradition is that the governor gives consent to the name proposed by the government.

Speaking to the Indian Express about these developments, Dr (prof) Vittul Kumar Gupta, chairman of the Association of Physicians of India– Malwa branch said, "It is really sad on the part of Bhagwant Mann government not to follow the basic protocol before the appointment of the vice-chancellor. It is being heard that amid a political tug of war, Prof Dr GS Wander has withdrawn his name from the post of VC at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot," adding, "I strongly feel that politics has caused immense damage to the future growth of the BFUHS both academically and for research given the great vision of Dr GS Wander."

Gurpreet Singh Chandbaja, a member of the monitoring committee at GGSMCH, Faridkot said: "If the AAP government hasn't followed the basic protocol, it is indeed a matter to be condemned… such immature steps are only delaying the appointment of a vice chancellor of this medical university. This shows how non-serious the Punjab government is about the health department contrary to their claims."

In August, the CM had accepted the resignation of Dr Raj Bahadur, the former VC of BFUHS, who had quit from the post after being humiliated at the hands of Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra. The Medical Dialogues team had reported about this controversy where the minister had allegedly asked Dr. Bahadur to lie on a dirty mattress and had also misspoken with him. The minister was on an inspection of Faridkot's Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, which comes under the BFUHS. 

The incident was recorded and the video had also gone viral on social media, in which the minister could be seen rebuking Bahadur for the conditions of the hospitals. Dr. Bahadur had subsequently tendered his resignation and had requested the Punjab Chief Minister to relieve him from services stating that this kind of hostile environment is not productive for his work. Dr Avnish Kumar, director of research medical education in the Punjab government was given the additional charge of the V-C after that. 

Notably, there has been a tussle between Governor Purohit and Chief Minister Mann on many issues. Recently, Purohit had taken an exception to Mann skipping a reception held in the honour of President Droupadi Murmu, who was on her maiden visit to Chandigarh. Prior to this, there had been a squabble between the governor and the AAP government over holding a session of the Punjab Assembly. The governor had withdrawn the permission to hold a special session on September 22 after seeking legal opinion when the AAP government wanted to bring a confidence motion only in the House. Later, the governor gave his nod only after the government provided details of the legislative business.

Also Read:BFUHS Vice Chancellor faces humiliation during Punjab Health Minister visit, IMA sees red demands unconditional apology