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

New Delhi, May 20: Hundreds of striking doctors and medical students from across the nation marched in protest here today opposing the Government's proposal of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions as the anti-reservation agitation continued on the seventh day today.

Waving placards and raising anti-Arjun Singh and anti-reservation slogans, the 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 Shimla, Ludhiana and Amritsar, 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.

Lawyers, Corporate accociations, Private practitioners, AIIMS Faculty Association and parents of the fasting students joined the march.

BJP MP and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu also attened the rally and addressed the protestors.

Angry students, wearing black arm bands, formed human chains as the rally progressed. The entire rally route was covered with heavy police police deployment.

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

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.

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 staged a rally in support of 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. United Students' member and NSIT Students' Union leader Honey Arun said engineering students across the country were also against the Government's move.

Youth for Equality spokesperson Sasmit Sarangi told UNI that the agitation will continue and taken to its logical end.

''The rally is a show of strength. We want to convey to the Government that we will not call off the agitation,'' Mr Sarangi said.

''We will not be deterred by notices, termination letters or police action.... We will make the government reconsider its decision,'' he added.

Mr Sarangi said since the negotiations with the government had failed, the students and doctors were not left with any other option but for protests.

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.

Medical services in Delhi's five premier government hospitals including AIIMS and LNJP, remained affected on the seventh day today due to the strike.

The first round of negotiations over the OBC reservation impasse failed on Thursday, with the students rejecting Government'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.

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 Minister of State without Portfolio Oscar Fernandes.

JNU, IIT, Delhi University, Indraprastha University, school students, lawyers and parents of the fasting students have also lent support to the agitation.

UNI