Anti-quota strike hits hospital services

New Delhi, May 13 (UNI) A strike by junior and resident doctors in support of the anti-quota stir by students affected services in five premier government hospitals of the capital for the 2nd day today.

Senior doctors, who also have threatened to join the agitation soon, were seen manning emergency units of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Safdarjang, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Maulana Azad and the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narain Hospitals.

The strike was in response to a call from the Indian Medical Association. The IMA has also called a ''medical bandh'' in Delhi on Monday.

Hundreds of medical students had clashed with police yesterday as they tried to march towards the Prime Minister's North Block office in protest against the Government proposal to reserve 27 per cent seats for OBCs in centres of higher education.

The protesting students say the reservation move is anti-merit and would push back India's development.

Meanwhile, the All India Minorities Front has demanded arrest of the striking doctors. In separate letters to the Prime Minister and the Delhi Chief Minister, Front President S M Asif also said that the Government should invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and dismiss striking doctors for conduct unbecoming of public servants.

Public money spent on their education and training should be recovered from the doctors, he said.

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