Kathmandu June 14 : Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha have called on the Vice Chairman of the Medical Education Commission, Dr. Shrikrishna Giri has been threatened to resign from the post if he is not recommended to join a private medical college.

Giri and member secretary of the commission Dilli Luintel were called to the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Sunday to write the decision of the commission meeting in their favor. After being threatened by Prime Minister Oli and Education Minister Shrestha, Giri left Baluwatar saying that he would resign but would not do anything against the law. Sources said that the decision of the commission was verified by calling Baluwatar again after his release.

Prime Minister Oli and Education Minister Shrestha have been forcing the disputed businessman Durga Prasarin’s B&C Medical College in Jhapa to be affiliated with Kathmandu University by violating the law. Dr. Jeevan Kshatriya, coordinator of the Solidarity for Dr. Govinda KC Alliance, said that Giri was warned to take a hostage at the PM’s residence in Baluwatar to feed Prasai.”This is the culmination of the moral collapse of government ministers, including the prime minister,” he said. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Education had decided to start the process of giving permission to B&C by introducing the issue of affiliation in the meeting of Kathmandu University held last February.

The Medical Education Act provides that the university will proceed with the affiliation process with the consent of the commission and the university will give affiliation for the operation of the medical college on the recommendation of the commission. That is why Prime Minister Oli has attacked academic freedom from the meeting of the Kathmandu University to the meeting of the commission, said Vedmani Dahal, former president of the Kathmandu University Professors’ Association. “It was decided to move ahead with the process of giving affiliation by giving direct instructions in the meeting of Kathmandu University as well,” he said.

Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, Chairman of the Medical Council, Dr. Divyasingh Shah, Dean of the Institute of Medical Education, Tribhuvan University, Dr. Rajesh Dangol, Vice-Chancellor, Patan Institute of Health Sciences, Usha Jhala, Member of the National Planning Commission, said that affiliation should not be done without fulfilling the rules and regulations. Experts say the law does not allow affiliation to B &C. Prime Minister Oli and Education Minister Shrestha, on the other hand, put pressure on Bhola Thapa, Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University, to give permission to B&C.