Delhi RWAs extend support to students' anti-reservation campaign

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Delhi residents welfare association federation has come out in support of the on-going students movement against reservations.

Representives of RWAs led by United Residents Joint Action, which networks with over 500 RWAs across Delhi, extended support to the on-going students movement against reservations, a statement said today.

It termed the quota move as ''unfortunate, untimely and undemocratic.'' URJA Convenor Pramod Chawla said the RWAs had expressed support for the students struggle on the issue of extension of the quota system and it was denounced by almost everyone in the group.

URJA also carried out a dipstick survey among RWAs in the city and found no support for the reservations policy of the government.

''RWAs across the board have rejected the idea of reservations on the basis of caste,'' he added.

Mr Chawla said ''the issues of social imbalance need not be addressed by harming other groups.'' Mr R C Kamboj of Rohini Federation expressed complete support to the students movement saying that the issue of caste had the capability of tearing the country apart and must not be supported by any well-meaning Indian.

Mr Debobani Bannerjee, a coordinator for South Delhi said all RWAs had expressed resentment against the quota move and this was apparent in the responses of RWAs who were surveyed.

Mr Rajesh Dokwal of East Delhi URJA had also professed his areas resistance to the government's move.

Mr S P Gupta of Rajendra Nagar RWA in West Delhi was emphatic in saying ''we must exhibit support to the student community at this moment to force the government to rethink this unfair imposition.'' URJA had agreed to call a members meet to extend support in a visible fashion to the students cause. ''We will all meet on Thursday to express solidarity with the students movement,'' said mr Chawla.

URJA would then make a public statement in support of students movement.

Mr Aditya Raj Kaul of United Students who campaigned to seek support for the cause with URJA said, ''we petitioned RWAs because they have a powerful voice in Delhi and are all affected in some measure by the reservation policies of the government.'' Mr Dhruv Suri, another member of the students group said ''we are carrying on a campaign to generate support from all quarters of society and will be asking every citizen of Delhi to support the students in this campaign.'' Anchal Dhar, one of the students group's Gurgaon convenors said that the movement was finding extensive support from people of all walks of life as was evidenced on Sunday in front of a Gurgaon mall where 500 people signed for support within the first hour.

United Students was also petitioning various trade bodies in the capital to add their weight to the campaign.

Five members of the United Students group had been invited at their request by President A P J Abdul Kalam on May 4, where the students handed over a 21-point petition with over 1.7 lakhs signatures of support.

UNI IP PA DS1132