Docs stir intensifies across country; govt may increase seats

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Medical services in several states were affected today as the strike by resident and junior doctors and medical students intensified with medicos in Asom and Rajasthan also joining the agitation even as the government was considering increasing the number of seats while providing reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in institutions of higher education.

''As soon as the consultations (on increasing the seats) are over, we will bring a comprehensive roadmap before the House,'' Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh informed the Lok Sabha.

In Delhi, terming as ''disappointing'' the government's promise of a higher education reservation 'mechanism' to satisfy all concerned, striking resident doctors said the proposal was not acceptable to them and again appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to set up a non-political judicial committee to review the reservation policy.

About 1,500 agitating resident and junior doctors, medical students and pupils from other institutions, under the banner of 'Youth for Equality', are holding a candlelight march at AIIMS and Safdarjung hospital tonight.

''We are not against the backward classes or their uplift. We are seeking a more merit oriented approach to higher education. The agitation will continue,'' Dr Neha Gami, a Resident Doctor with Maulana Azad Medical College, told a news conference.

A Delhi Government statement claimed that resident doctors of 14 hospitals under its control withdrew from the strike.

Though parallel OPD units were set up, services in five premier government hospitals including AIIMS and LNJP, remained affected.

The parallel OPD units were set up...Eds: here pick up from line one, para four of DI 67 AGITATION-DOCTORS-ROUNDUP.

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