Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan, a dedicated government doctor, fought relentlessly for the implementation of Government Ordinance 354 to ensure fair wages and benefits for government doctors, right up until his death on 6 February 2020. However, despite his tireless efforts, the ordinance remains unimplemented. Recently, this issue has sparked widespread criticism, with columns highlighting the inefficiency and neglect of both the government and the Tamil Nadu health sector.
In response to the growing criticism, J. Sangumani, the Director of Medical Education and Research, issued a statement, claiming that disagreements between medical associations had stalled the implementation of Government Order 354. He insisted that the government was ready to meet the demand, citing a unanimous opinion on the matter. Sangumani also mentioned that the Minister had directed that jobs be offered to Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan’s heirs, though he claimed the family had not accepted the offer. Furthermore, he stated that a fund of ₹1 crore had been allocated to the families of six doctors, including Dr. Narasimhan, who died in the line of duty, on 10 January.
This statement quickly became controversial, leading to strong reactions from the doctor’s family. Anuradha, Dr. Narasimhan’s widow, contacted the media, challenging Sangumani’s claims. She accused him of spreading false information, stating that neither the government nor the medical department had taken any concrete action. She also released an audio recording of her conversation with the Director, which went viral, further fueling the controversy.
In the recorded audio conversation, Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan’s wife, Anuradha, confronted J. Sangkumani, the Director of Medical Education and Research, questioning his claims. She asked, “Sir, you mentioned that you have disbursed one crore to us—can you tell me to whom you gave it?” He replied, “That day a madam came and received, hasn’t she?” She continued, “You hold a prominent position, and someone in your position should be guiding us, could you be spreading such misinformation?” He replied, “Agalyan mentioned that you came that day”, She questioned back, “but who exactly came? You’re respected—can you do like this?” Sangumani tried to overlook by stating, “I’ll check with the office,” She asked, “Can you give misinformation to the media? You should have asked us first or at least verified with someone before sharing such information with the news.” He again tried to evade with response saying, “If I had your number, I would have asked you directly.” Sangumani responded by saying that someone in the office had claimed the money was disbursed, which led him to post it online. Then, she pressed further, asking, “You said we didn’t join despite being offered a job. But did you actually offer us a job?”
In a fit of anger, she said, “I’m going to court, and you shall answer there. Your government has done nothing for us, and it took you four years to provide us with a pension. Isn’t that wrong? Should it really take four years to get a pension?” Director Sangumani repeatedly claimed he would refer the matter to the office, to which she responded, “We are in so much pain. Our loss is not small, and you’re behaving even worse than the previous government. Under whose directive did you issue this denial statement?” She later questioned whether there were any irregularities involved and insisted that G.O. 354 should be implemented. Finally, she asked, “Will I have to come and beg for alms from your minister?”
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