Describing All India Institute of Medical Sciences Director P Venugopal as one of the best doctors, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has said that not all doctors make good administrators.
'Venugopal is one of the best doctors in this country. We all respect him. But he is also one of the worst administrators in this country,' Ramadoss told Karan Thapar in an interview on Devil's Advocate programme on CNN-IBN.
Ramadoss also said the ban on manufacture of beedis and cigarettes and tobacco growing was imminent and the ban on smoking in films was the first step in that direction.
'This ban is just a question of time. I can't initiate it today. I would like to but there are other things involved in this,' he said.
On his face-off with Venugopal, the minister said he did not have any ego problems with the renowned heart surgeon and blamed the media for creating a false perception.
'I am a professional, I am a doctor, what ego should I have with Dr Venugopal?' he said, adding, 'I have much more things to do. This is an administrative issue that has been hyped-up by the media due to reasons known only to them.'
On the state of affairs at the AIIMS, the health minister claimed that it has become 'the All India Institute of Political Sciences', where doctors were indulging in strikes and politics rather than treating patients.
'Today the All India Institute of Medical Sciences is slowly becoming the All India Institute of Political Sciences. These guys should do what they know best, treat patients and not go into flash strikes and politics,' he said.