A forum of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes faculty members at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here has condoled the recent suicide by MBBS under-graduate student Anil Kumar Meena and demanded a “time-bound impartial inquiry by an outside agency” into the incident.
In a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil, the members said the independent inquiry should “ascertain the truth, fix responsibility on individuals found to be culpable for the tragedy, work out the quantum of compensation to the family, and recommend administrative reforms to prevent such incidents in future”.
“We are dismayed by the administration's apathy towards the problem of members of SC/ST. Many representations have been submitted in this regard to AIIMS. The lack of affirmative response has forced us to approach the National Commission for SC/ST, Parliamentary Committee, as well as the court of law,” said a spokesperson of the forum.
At a meeting of the forum held last week, the members noted that the Thorat Committee recommendations proposed in 2007 have not been implemented until now, and no corrective measures were taken by the Institute even after a final year MBBS student committed suicide in 2010.
“The news of non-payment of promised ex-gratia amount and refusal to provide examination answers sheets to his father under RTI till date is an evidence of illegality and gross human insensitivity,” said the spokesperson.
The recent suicide and other attempted suicides within a span of two years raise questions about the “culpability of the AIIMS administration”, said the members. At the meeting it was further said that the Institute had failed in its duty to provide an environment conducive to the growth of Anil's potential.
Members of the forum spoke to Anil's father, relatives and friends, and also faculty members at AIIMS, and found that Anil was a bright student. “It is unfortunate that AIIMS has failed in its duty to provide an environment conducive to the growth of his potential to become an asset to the community and country… It is regretted by all members that both the Dean and the Director, AIIMS, failed to meet this student at a time when he was desperately looking for some sort of counselling and help,” said the spokesperson.
