BHU junior doctors threaten indefinite stir on reservation

Varanasi, May 15 (UNI) Junior doctors at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) today threatened to paralyse services at the Sir Sunder Lal Hospital (SSU) indefinitely from tomorrow on the OBC reservation issue.

The medicos, including resident doctors and PG students, joining the cause of their juniors -- MBBS students -- observed a 'token' strike over the issue today, bringing to partial halt the Outdoor Patient Services (OPD) at the SSU hospital.

Emergency services at the hospital, however, functioned normally, with resident doctors from surgery and medicine performing their duties, hospital sources said.

The medical students, including MBBS, PG students along with students from other faculties of BHU and those from the Mahatama Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith University (MGKV), carried out a massive procession against the UPA government's proposed move to go for 27 per cent reservation for OBC in centrally operated institutions of higher education.

The protest march, with doctors wearing aprons and stethos around their necks and raising anti-government slogans, reached the Sankatmochan temple.

Addressing a meeting outside the 16th century temple, Dr Avinash Singh, spearheading the anti-reservation movement on the BHU campus said at a time when India wanted to become an advanced nation, moves like the one aimed at reservation would result in talent drain and hamper development.

Dr Singh said the condition under the UPA government had become even worse than the British rule and another revolution was necessary to attain 'Poorna Swaraj' (complete independence).

Dr Singh further challenged the UPA government to bring a bill to reserve the post of the Prime Minister for those from backward castes, besides seeking a bill to reserve posts in the Defence forces for the backward.

''If they are really serious over reservation, let them first reserve the PM's post and jobs in defence. UPA is playing for votes through the ugly instrument of caste based politics,'' he added.

The other speakers asked the Centre and all the pro-reservation leaders to take a written oath that they would undergo treatment from doctors belonging to the backward castes.

BHU Resident Doctors Association president Mahesh Kante said instead of going for reservation, the UPA government needed to reform the elementary education system in the country through provision of scholarships to those from poorer sections.

''They need support of money in form of scholarship and not crutches of reservation that will make them crippled forever,'' he added.

The agitating students returned in a procession to the Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, shouting anti Arjun Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi slogans.

The budding doctors will decide their future course of action at a meeting at IMS this evening.

UNI ARS VS RR ND1612