OBC quota impasse continues; Strike enters day 6

New Delhi, May 19: With no breakthrough in sight over the OBC reservation impasse, the AIIMS Faculty Association today began a day-long hunger strike in support of the agitating doctors and medical students as their indefinite work boycott entered its sixth day today.

The students and doctors, under the banner of Youth of Equality', along with supporters from various institutions and organisations will hold a massive rally tomorrow, commencing at Maulana Azad Medical College.

Members of the AIIMS Faculty Association this morning joined the fasting students, opposing the Government's proposal of 27 per cent for OBC in higher educational institutions.

''The government needs to urgently respond to the demands of the students and doctors.... We are lending our full support to the agitation,'' AIIMS Faculty Association President A B Dey said.

He said the Government must take some action to resolve the issue and review the existing reservation policy.

The United Students', which comprises of students from Delhi University, IP University and several school, along with members of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and Delhi Traders and RAWs are observing 'Solidarity Day' today in support of the agitating doctors and medical students.

Meanwhile, about 100 of the over 180 fasting students in AIIMS have been admitted to the AIIMS casualty unit due to dehydration and other complications. The hunger strike began on at AIIMS on May 13.

Late last night, a delegation of Youth of Equality, which is spearheading the agitation, met Minister of State without Portfolio Oscar Fernandes for the second time in the day and conveyed their decision to continue with the anti-OBC reservation agitation as they were not satisfied with the government's suggestions on the contentious issue.

The striking doctors and student remained defiant, said the they will not withdraw the agitation and termination letters or notices will not deter them.

JNU, IIT, Delhi University, Indra Prastha University, school students, lawyers and parents of the fasting students have also lent support to the agitation. The parents are conducting a 'hawan' in AIIMS for the well being of striking student and doctors.

Medical services continued to be affected as the indefinite work boycott entered the sixth day today. Though parallel OPD units were set up, services in Delhi's five premier government hospitals including AIIMS and LNJP, remained affected and patients had to suffer. However, emergency and ICU departments functioned in all the hospitals.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Safdarjang, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narain and Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals were returning patients despite parallel OPD units functioning there.

Resident and Junior doctors of Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Ram Manohar Lohia, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ihbas hospitals have also joined the striking students and doctors.

The first round of negotiations over the OBC reservation impasse failed yesterday, with the students rejecting Governmet's assurance not to disturb the general category seats.

''We conveyed our decision of continuing with the strike to Mr Fernandes at the meeting. The government's assurance that general category seats will not be reduced is not acceptable to us,'' Youth for Equality leader Dr Neha Gami told UNI.

The students and doctors took the decision at an emergency meeting of the Executive Council of the 'Youth for Equality', after talks with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and Mr Fernandes earlier in the day.

The executive unanimously decided to continue and intensify the agitation.

''Nothing will deter us.... Notices, police action or termination orders nothing at all,'' she added.

The Ministers had asked the students and doctors to call off the agitation, while assuring that general category seats would not be disturbed and the proposed increase in quota for OBCs would be met by adding more seats.

The Ministers had also assured them that the number of higher educational institutes will also be increased.

The Government had rejected their demand for setting up of an 'apolitical' judicial commission to review the existing reservation policy.

The students have been demanding a review of the policy and consider its drawbacks, loopholes, merits and advantages.

In an attempt to garner support from the Opposition to counter the Government's ''no reservation roll-back'' stand, the doctors and students had yesterday met senior BJP leader L K Advani and submitted a memorandum.

UNI

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