Students, Doctors stage rally; Support pours in from all quarter

New Delhi, May 20: In a major show of strength, hundreds of doctors and medical students from across the nation, joined by scores of people from various walks of life, marched in protest here opposing the Government's proposal of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions.

Waving placards and raising anti-Arjun Singh and anti-reservation slogans, about 5,000 protestors, under the aegis of Youth for Equality', paraded towards Jantar Mantar from Maulana Azad Medical College.

The marchers of the 'Chalo Delhi Rally', were shouting ''Abolish Reservation'', ''Bring Back Merit'' and ''Down with Arjun Singh'' slogans, and demanding complete roll-back of the Government proposal and review of the existing reservation policy.

The protestors included resident and junior doctors from several hospitals from across the capital and several cities, including Baroda, Varanasi, Jaipur and Patiala, striking medical students, who are on an indefinite hunger strike since May 13, students from several institutions and organisations, including JNU, IIT, Delhi University, Indraprastha University and several schools.

Support poured in from all quarters for the agitation as lawyers, Corporate Associations, Private practitioners, AIIMS Faculty Association representatives and parents of the fasting students joined the march.

BJP MP and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu and 'Management Guru' and author Shiv Khera also attended the rally and addressed the protestors.

Asking the students and doctors to continue with the agitation, Mr Sidhu said the government was trying to divide the students on caste.

''Merit should not be compromised and the agitation should go on till the government relents,'' he said.

Mr Khera said the government must provide reservation at the primary level.

Angry students, wearing black arm bands, formed human chains as the rally progressed. They rendered the National Anthem twice.

The entire rally route was covered with heavy police and Rapid Action Force deployment.

Simultaneous protests are also planned by students in other parts of the country who could not make it to the capital.

The Bharat Uday Mission, representing JNU and IIT students, started day-long hunger strike in support of the doctors and students.

The United Students', which comprises students from Delhi University, IP University and several schools, along with members of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and Delhi Traders and RWAs also joined the agitating doctors and medical students.

Engineering students from five institutes-- Jamia Millia Islamia, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT), Delhi College of Engineering (DCE), Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (IGIT) and IIT-- joined the protest.

The students said the ''divide and rule'' policy of the politicians will not succeed with the student community.

''We are only demanding that the government ensures that merit is the criteria for higher education.... But the politicians of our country are only interested in their vote bank,'' said Dr Swati Batra of AIIMS.

''We will not let dirty politics ruin our and the country's future. We will fight against this,'' said Ms Shruti Jain of the Lady Hardinge Medical college.