Chennai: Doctors have withdrawn their protest against the Director of Medical Education and Research, Dr. Sangumani, after he expressed regret over his recent remarks.

The protest stemmed from a statement regarding Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan, a government doctor from Salem, who had led demonstrations demanding a salary hike for government doctors during the AIADMK regime. She passed away in 2020 due to a heart attack, with allegations that her transfer played a role in her deteriorating health.

Following her death, political leaders, including then-Opposition Leader and current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, had strongly condemned the incident. In a recent interview, Dr. Sangumani stated that Dr. Lakshmi Narasimhan's family had received ₹1 crore in compensation and declined government job offers for her heirs. He also claimed there was no unified stance among government doctors on salary hikes.

These remarks were met with backlash from her family and the Government Doctors' Association. In response, the Government Doctors and Postgraduate Doctors Association announced plans to besiege the Directorate of Medical Education in protest.

To defuse tensions, Dr. Sangumani met with the protesting doctors and retracted his statement, clarifying that no such compensation had been provided. Expressing regret for the misinformation, he assured the association of his commitment to addressing their concerns. Following this, the protest was called off.

Meanwhile, Perumal Pillai, head of the Legal Action Committee for Government Doctors, has criticized the Director of Medical Education for his remarks.

Speaking on the issue, Dr. Sangumani said, “I have conveyed my regret to the Doctors Association, and they have accepted it. The issue has now been resolved.”