Independent trustees oppose Gujarat hospital tie-up with defence PSU, budget 'approval'

Counterview Desk
Independent board members of Ahmedabad's premier public-charitable health institutions, Chinai Maternity and Sarabhai General Hospitals (VS), in a letter to the Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), with copies to the VS Hospital chairperson and the Charity Commissioner, Ahmedabad, have protested against the manner in which the legally constituted VS Board and Trusts were "bypassed" while passing the budget worth Rs 163.85 crore for the hospital.
Signed by Rupa Chinai, Brijesh Chinai, Jay Sheth and Dr Nishith Shah, the donor family representatives in the hospital board, the letter also protests against the unilateral decision of the Gujarat government through a resolution dated April 16, 2021 wherein VSH will now function as a “base hospital” in partnership with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), a Government of India public sector undertaking.

While all efforts to support Covid patients is needed, the VSH is capable and must be equipped with return of its staff, beds and equipment, to fully participate in patient care, they assert.

Text:

This is to register our strong protest at the illegal and blatantly disrespectful manner in which the independent VS Board of Management is being bypassed on vital issues pertaining to the financial affairs and management of the Sarabhai General and Chinai Maternity Hospitals.
On April 14, 2021, we learnt to our amazement that the AMC would quietly pass the annual budget of the VSH the next day, bypassing the VS Board of Management. We had expressed our protest at this illegal action in an email letter sent to you the same day. The Board Chairperson had been appointed on March 10, 2021 and we four donor family representatives, who are permanent Board members, were also available to attend a zoom meeting at short notice to take up the Budget issue on behalf of the nine member Board.
Yet you ignored us and went ahead to pass the budget at the AMC Board meeting on April 15. On April 16, we received a letter from the VS Medical Superintendent offering the weak excuse that as the four AMC members are not appointed and the Board is not presently formed, the VSH budget was hence presented to the AMC Standing Committee.
We see this as yet another AMC attempt to challenge the existence of an independent public institution, undermining public accountability and transparency in financial dealings.
You are requested to immediately deliver to each of us a copy of the detailed 2021-22 budget for the public record and analysis.
Secondly, please provide to us all details of how the VS Hospital is being opened up for the treatment of Covid patients, as per AMC order of April 14, 2021. We had urged you to do this since October 2019. The Gujarat High Court ordered you to do the same during the first wave of the Covid epidemic. Nevertheless, late though this comes, we welcome the move.

Creation of Sardar Patel in 1931, its independent management is a proven model of 90 years of dedicated public-charitable service in Ahmedabad

Surely the magnitude of this challenge calls for the constitution of the full VSH Board of Management being available to partner in opening up the hospital services. Or is this another opportunity the AMC seeks to bypass the Board?
We would also like to understand the implications of the Gujarat Government Resolution, dated April 16, 2021 wherein VSH will now function as a “base hospital” in partnership with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Does the AMC have any intention of informing the VSH Board and seeking its consent on this important decision that has far reaching implications on the future existence of these hospitals and the independent Trusts that manage them?
The Sarabhai and Chinai Hospitals are the creation of Sardar Patel in 1931. Its independent management — where administration and citizens work in partnership — is a proven model of 90 years of dedicated public-charitable service to the poorest citizens of Ahmedabad.
In view of the current public health crisis overwhelming Ahmedabad, we demand that the Sarabhai and Chinai Hospitals be revived and made operational to full capacity in terms of beds, equipment and return of its original staff. We also seek to know the road map for the permanent revival of the two hospitals in service of the poorest citizens of Ahmedabad.

Comments

From Kerala to Bangladesh: Lynching highlights deep social faultlines

By A Representative The recent incidents of mob lynching—one in Bangladesh involving a Hindu citizen and another in Kerala where a man was killed after being mistaken for a “Bangladeshi”—have sparked outrage and calls for accountability.

What Sister Nivedita understood about India that we have forgotten

By Harasankar Adhikari In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.

Aravalli at the crossroads: Environment, democracy, and the crisis of justice

By Rajendra Singh* The functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has undergone a troubling shift. Once mandated to safeguard forests and ecosystems, the Ministry now appears increasingly aligned with industrial interests. Its recent affidavit before the Supreme Court makes this drift unmistakably clear. An institution ostensibly created to protect the environment now seems to have strayed from that very purpose.

Safety, pay and job security drive Urban Company gig workers’ protest in Gurugram

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

India’s universities lag global standards, pushing students overseas: NITI Aayog study

By Rajiv Shah A new Government of India study, Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations , prepared by NITI Aayog , regrets that India’s lag in this sector is the direct result of “several systemic challenges such as inadequate infrastructure to provide quality education and deliver world-class research, weak industry–academia collaboration, and outdated curricula.”

The rise of the civilizational state: Prof. Pratap Bhanu Mehta warns of new authoritarianism

By A Representative Noted political theorist and public intellectual Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta delivered a poignant reflection on the changing nature of the Indian state today, warning that the rise of a "civilizational state" poses a significant threat to the foundations of modern democracy and individual freedom. Delivering the Achyut Yagnik Memorial Lecture titled "The Idea of Civilization: Poison or Cure?" at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Mehta argued that India is currently witnessing a self-conscious political project that seeks to redefine the state not as a product of a modern constitution, but as an instrument of an ancient, authentic civilization.

Why experts say replacing MGNREGA could undo two decades of rural empowerment

By A Representative A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Bangladesh in turmoil: Rising insecurity, sectarian forces gain ground

By Bharat Dogra Many who initially welcomed the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are now reconsidering their stance. The reasons are stark. Law and order has deteriorated sharply, leaving large sections of the population—particularly political opponents—deeply vulnerable. Minorities report growing insecurity, with disturbing incidents of targeted violence. Inter-faith harmony is under unprecedented strain, while prospects for fair elections are fading as major political parties, including those with strong minority support, face exclusion and obstruction.

Search This Blog