Vivek Murthy
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, center, after he is ceremonially sworn-in in Conmy Hall at Fort Myer, Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in Arlington, Va.U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, center, after he is ceremonially sworn-in in Conmy Hall at Fort Myer, Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in Arlington, Va.

WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — A top body of Indian-American doctors have publicly reacted with shock and disappointment over the firing of former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian-origin (AAPI), in a statement released Monday, said they were “shocked and saddened” to learn of Murthy’s dismissal.

“On behalf of the AAPI, I want to applaud the many contributions and initiatives of Dr Vivek Murthy, our AAPI member, in the healthcare sector in very short span of about two years since he became US Surgeon General in 2014,” the body’s president, Ajay Lodha, said in the statement.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley said in a statement that Murthy had been a dynamic and outstanding surgeon general, adding that he was not only an inspiration to the Indian American community, but to the entire medical and healthcare community. Crowley called Murthy’s time spent advocating for everything from public health to promoting physical fitness and walkable communities served as an undoubted benefit to the American people.

“I’ve had the great pleasure of working closely with Murthy, including welcoming him to my district where we met with New York health leaders to discuss Zika, the opioid epidemic, and other key health priorities affecting my constituents,” Crowley said.

Murthy, ironically, is the second Indian-American to be handed walking papers by the Trump administration after refusing to submit a resignation. Previously, former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara was forcibly removed from his post, this after he was asked by then president-elect Donald Trump to stay on in his current capacity.