Medicos' agitation gets support from AGVM in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, May 23 (UNI) Even as the medical students and junior doctors continued their anti-reservation agitation for the ninthday today in Gujarat, Akhil Gujarat Vali (Guardians) Mahamandal (AGVM) is gearing up to mobilise social support from larger section of the society to intensify the issue.

AGVM president Shankar Patel told mediapersons here today that the AGVM and other similar bodies in the state would join the agitating medicos in a week's time to intensify their agitation.

The Mahamandal had spearheaded anti-reservation agitations in 1981 and 1985, which had caused discomfiture to the then Chief Ministers, Madhavsinh Solanki and Amarsinh Chaudhary respectively.

He said the agitating medicos should take cautious approach while accepting the compromise proposal of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the back door entry of 27 per cent OBC reservation by his Government is clearly indicating maligned intention behind the whole issue.

Mr Patel also questioned the intention of other political parties, as they, too, are refrainig from raising voice on the issue as making any statement either 'pro or anti' could affect their vote-banks.

He said, in the 1985 anti-reservation agitation, the then State government had promised that the reservation would be in force till sufficient measures are taken for raising educational level of the backward classes students. Similar promise was made in Mandal Commission agitation too, he added.

Extending their full support to the medical students' agitation, Mahamandal leaders Shankarbhai Patel and Priyavadan Shah alleged that the Gujarat Government had failed to fulfil its assurances made 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, with a view to intensify their agitation, students and junior doctors of medical colleges in Ahmedabad have decided to go on indefinite hunger strike from tonight.

The medical students told UNI that at least 15 medico students will go on indefinite hunger strike till the proposed reservation is not withdrawn by the Centre.

They also said students from medical colleges in Vadodara are also going to a hold 72-hour relay fast from tomorrow, while medicos in Surat have already stared their hunger strike yesterday.

UNI MP GK AK RS1913