Jairam Ramesh may move privilege motion against MCI chief

NEW DELHI: A member of the parliamentary standing committee on health is likely to move a privilege motion against the president of the Medical Council of India, Dr Jayshree Mehta, for suggesting that the committee had submitted its report calling for a complete restructuring of the council without giving the MCI a fair hearing.

Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh, who was a member of the committee, said Mehta's statement was "a complete lie". He added that "her statement is a clear breach of privilege and I intend moving one against her."

Ramesh said the statement was an attempt to discredit the report of the standing committee.

The report itself contains details of the committee's meetings which show that the president and office bearers of the MCI deposed several times before the committee.

Dr Mehta recently claimed that though they had sought time from the parliamentary committee, they were not given any time and were "denied the mandatory opportunity of hearing, which the principles of natural justice guarantee". Records of the standing committee show that Dr Mehta had appeared four times for the meetings.

In fact the report noted: "The Committee takes note of the admission of the president of MCI that corruption is there when there is sanctioning of medical colleges or increasing or decreasing of medical seats. However, the Committee finds the inaction of the MCI enigmatic in this matter."

Sources said that after the various hearings, Dr Mehta again wrote to the chairperson seeking an opportunity to present her views before the committee after the report had been presented to Parliament. But her request was not acceded to as the report had already been tabled.