Oppn to JIPMER's autonomous status on

Puducherry, Jan 24: The JIPMER Anti-Conversion People's Action Committee today said it would continue to oppose the move to grant autonomous status to the institution till a few safeguard clauses were incorporated in the Bill.

Addressing a press conference here, committee president and former CPI(M) State Secretary T Murugan said the committee would accept the proposal only if free treatment and Central government employee status were continued, free medical education provided and locals accorded priority in employment opportunities.

Coming down heavily on PMK Parliamentary Party leader Prof M Ramdass for writing a letter to CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, accusing the CPI(M) of joining hands with ''communal'' forces such as the BJP here, he said the CPI(M) would accept the support of any party to oppose the autonomy Bill.

It may be recalled that Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss had said yesterday that JIPMER would be made an autonomous institution by an Act in the next session of Parliament.

UNI