DHARAN, March 2: Vice Chancellor of the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Rajkumar Rauniyar, has been relieved from his post on Friday.
The 42th senate meeting of the BPHKIHS held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Baluwatar took a decision to this effect accusing him of poor performance, according to BIKHS Registrar Tul Bahadur Shrestha.
The meeting was presided over by Health Minister Upendra Yadav, who is also the pro-chancellor of BPKIHS.
"The meeting has recommended Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to dismiss VC Rauniyar from the post after he failed to carry out his given duties and responsibilities," Shrestha told Republica Online.
The meeting decided to give the responsibility of acting vice chancellor to BPKIHS Rector Guru Khanal.
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The long-running saga over the resignation of Vice Chancellor Rauniyar comes following the recommendation of two separate probe panels formed by the Health Ministry over his poor conduct, according to Registrar Shrestha.
During the meeting, Secretary at the Ministry of Health Chandra Ghimire had tabled the reports earlier submitted by the two probe panels.
One of the panels was formed under the leadership of Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office Kedar Bahadur Adhikari. After the Adhikari-led panel submitted its probe report, another three-member panel was formed under the leadership of Health Minister Upendra Yadav.
Despite instructions from Health Minister Yadav twice to convene the senate meeting, Rauniyar had been rather raising questions over the two committees formed to investigate into his misconduct.
Amid row, Health Minister Yadav summoned the senate meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Baluwatar yesterday.
However, sacked Vice Chancellor Rauniyar has raised question over the decision made by the senate meeting. "The health minister made the decision unilaterally. He even did not consult with the senate members before making the decision," he said adding that he was also not allowed to sit in the senate meeting for more than five minutes. The senate meeting has entrusted Health Secretary Ghimire to look into the case.
"Another decision of the meeting is to form a committee to investigate into BPKIHS Director Gaurishanker Shah over his misconduct," State Minister for Health, Saroj Kumar Yadav, told Republica Online.
It has been more than one year VC Rauniyar landed into controversy over his misconduct and poor performance. Last year, accusing the VC of BPKIHS of disobedience, then Health Minister Deepak Bohara tried to remove Rauniyar from the post. At the time Rauniyar was accused of defying the minister's instruction given in the 40th session of the institute's senate meeting on November 16, 2018.
