I was fighting for my dignity: Reddy

He will not be allowed to work as director: Kurien

Reddy was reinstated as director of Irma, vide an order issued by the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday.

But Verghese Kurien, who had sacked Reddy 13 days ago, stressed that Reddy would not be allowed to function as a director.

"I was fighting for my dignity and to protect the interest of the institute. It seems the first round of battle is now over and so far it looks to be in my favour."

Reddy, whose tenure as director would be over this August, however, expressed his willingness to resign from the institute as director.

"With things getting murkier in the institute, I do not want to continue a director for long. I have made my mind to go back to my native in Andhra Pradesh and work for, may be some, non-governmrntal organisation (NGO)," Reddy told Business Standard on Wednesday.

Within minutes of the first order in favour of Reddy, the Kurien camp filed a petition seeking stay on the order.

The court accepted the plea and stayed the proceedings on its earlier order till May 2.

"I am not going to allow him to sit in the director's office till May 2," Kurien said. But he denied to comment any further on the matter.

"It is yet to be clarified whether I can use the director's office at Irma,": Reddy said.

"But I would prefer to stay away from getting into any further controversy till May 2 and I will quit Irma after all these legal issues are settled."

Acting-director of Irma, L K Vaswani, said, "I will continue to be the director of Irma till May 2 and we will decide our further course of action soon."

However, a senior member of Irma board closer to Reddy, said, "Though the matter is still lying with the high court, we have won the first round of the battle.

It is a major blow for Kurien, who should now step down as chairman. Such controversies are not good for the image of in favour."

"The court has called the termination order unlawful and also termed the April 15 board meeting chaired by Kurien as not as per the law," the board member added.

"It clearly shows that Kurien's recent steps as chairman are not supported by the legal circle. Whether Reddy should serve Irma or not depends on the decision of the board.

"A board meeting should now be convened after May 2 to discuss the future of the institute," he explained.