Principal of GSVM college transferred

KANPUR: Kanpur’s Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College principal Dr Arti Lalchandani has been transferred from her post and attached to the directorate general of medical education in Lucknow, almost 10 days after she was at the centre of a controversy over her alleged remarks against Tablighi Jamaat members in a video clip. Principal secretary, medical education, Rajneesh Dubey confirmed that Dr Lalchandani had been attached to DG Medical Education office, Lucknow. Dr RB Kamal has been appointed the new principal of GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, Dubey said. Dr Kamal was an officer on special duty with the medical college prior to his appointment as the principal.

Kanpur DM Brahm Deo Tiwari on Thursday said Dr Lalchandani’s transfer orders were received on Wednesday, according to the news agency PTI. Dr Lalchandani was not available for comment. After assuming charge, Dr Kamal said to reporters he would live up to the expectations of the state government.

In these ‘trying times’, his priority would be providing better health care to non-Covid patients at medical college-run hospitals, he added. He also said the responsibility given to him was big and that he would take everyone along. Earlier, Dr Lalchandani landed in a controversy after a video clip showed her making objectionable remarks about members of Tablighi Jamat who were admitted at Kanpur’s Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital in April.

In the video, she was purportedly heard equating the Jamaat members with “terrorists”.

She had also accused the Yogi Adityanath government of pursuing “appeasement” policy by providing them free treatment for Covid-19 in government hospitals. After the video went viral, Lalchandani initially maintained the video was a ‘tampered one’ and leaked as part of a blackmailing effort.

She later released a video apologising profusely for “hurting the sentiments of Muslims”, whom she described as her “brothers and sisters”.

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