Aiims Delhi reverses half day order for Ram Temple event after backlash

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims), Delhi reversed its decision to remain closed till 2:30 pm on 22 January for the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya, after public backlash.

According to a memorandum issued by the institute’s administrative officer on Sunday, all clinical services, including the outpatient department services (OPDs) will remain open for the whole day on January 22, to prevent any inconvenience and facilitate patient care services.

The office memorandum dated January 21, mandates all chiefs of centres, heads of departments, unit and branch officers to bring the decision to the notice of all staff working under them.

This comes after the premier medical institute, on Saturday, had issued a circular announcing a half-day closure of services, barring critical and emergency services, citing orders from the central government.

“The Government of India has declared Monday, January 22, 2024 as half day closing till 14:30 hrs vide O.M ref: F.No. 12/7/2023- JCA, DoPT dated January 18, 2024 as Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated across India. It is notified for information of all the employees that the institute will remain half day closed till 14:30 hrs on January 22,” the previous memorandum said.

Similar circulars were also issued by other government-run medical institutes, including Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, causing significant public outcry on social media.

While the previous memorandum had stated that all critical clinical services shall remain functional for the whole day, a senior official later clarified that all appointments are being rescheduled and critical clinical services will be functional. “If any patients come we will try to accommodate them. Evening outpatient department (OPD) appointments will be functioning normally,” the official added.

The new order now mandates all OPD services to remain open and functional for the whole day.

Aiims’s announcement had come after central government offices, banks, and private sector companies announced their decision to observe a half-day for the Ram Temple inauguration scheduled to take place on January 22.