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Scores of supporters and former patients of suspended Walsgrave Hospital heart specialist Dr Raj Mattu last night joined together to demand his immediate return to work.
They packed a public meeting to back the consultant and turn up the heat on hospital bosses to sort out the dispute.
More than 200 people turned out at the Allesley Hotel in a show of support for Dr Mattu.
Coventry North-west MP Geoffrey Robinson called on the new chairman and chief executive of the hospital to allow Dr Mattu to start work again - now.
Dr Mattu, a cardiologist, has been suspended since February after being accused of
harassing and bullying a junior colleague, who has now left the hospital.
At last night's meeting, chaired by Stratford GP David Buckley, the Labour MP said that he did not believe that the alleged claims of bullying against Dr Mattu was enough to warrant the suspension.
Mr Robinson said: "The time has now arrived for Dr Mattu to be reinstated.
"The citizens of Coventry have been denied the skills of Dr Raj Mattu, one of the most internationally respected cardiologists in the country, and while this is going on the public purse is being robbed.
"What I have to say to the new chief executive and chairman of the trust, who inherited this mess, is that the allegations made against Raj Mattu does not merit so long a drawn out, costly and unnecessary suspension."
Brian King, chairman of the Dr Raj Mattu Reinstatement Committee, said: "This meeting is to draw the public's attention to the injustice of Dr Mattu's suspension."
"The whole situation has been handled very badly, from the way they frog marched him out of the hospital to the way the authority has been dragging its heels."
Dr Mattu gave a lecture on heart disease at the meeting and thanked those in attendance for their support.
