Former Union minister steps down as AIIMS Rajkot president

Days after he was appointed as the president of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Rajkot, former Union minister and BJP leader Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria said he has stepped down. He said he was asked to put in his papers by the government.

Dr Kathiria, who served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, tweeted on August 17 a notification of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on his appointment as the president of AIIMS, Rajkot. The notification was dated August 2 but was made public around two weeks later.

On Friday, Kathiria confirmed he had resigned from the post on August 20. He said his resignation was accepted on August 25.

Kathiria said the Union  government had asked him to resign from the post.  “I respect the decision of the government and have put in my papers,” he said.