New Delhi, Sept. 18: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences has trashed a government panel’s findings on rampant caste discrimination on its campus.

It has also levelled counter-accusations, inviting the possibility of retribution from the health ministry.

Ignoring dozens of pages of documents that suggest a deep-seated caste divide, the institute administration has accused the government of bias against it.

The institute has also accused a member of the panel, headed by UGC chairman Sukhdeo Thorat, of physically pushing a senior faculty member.

K. Shyamprasad, who is vice-president of the health ministry’s National Board of Examinations, termed the allegation “shocking”.

“It is shocking to see the depths to which AIIMS will fall to cover up the caste discrimination. Needless to say, it is a complete lie,” Shyamprasad told The Telegraph.

Health ministry officials said they had not yet read the AIIMS report but hinted at strong action, both disciplinary and legal.

“The administration will have to prove each thing they have said. Their allegations against a government committee are serious,” an official said.

“There will have to be some response. Lies cannot be allowed to become the truth,” another Thorat panel member said.

The “AIIMS committee”, set up to look into the Thorat panel’s report, said all the findings were “without basis” and the recommendations “needless”.

The Thorat panel, set up at the Prime Minister’s behest following allegations of caste bias at AIIMS, found the institute guilty of creating a divide between students.

The report said there was enough evidence to suggest that the administration, headed by director P. Venugopal, had connived with anti-quota medicos who paralysed AIIMS during a strike last year.

In its internal report, AIIMS has denied the charge. But a letter written by then AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association president B. Patro, thanks Venugopal for his “assistance” during the agitation.

AIIMS has also refuted the commission’s indictment on caste discrimination in hostels. The Thorat committee found that many reserved category students had sought a change in rooms after being hounded out by upper-caste students. But AIIMS said only one student had sought such a change.