OBC quota: Medicos take out procession in Mysore

Bangalore, May 24 (UNI) Thousands of medical college students resorted to agitation in various parts of Karnataka today in protest against the Centre going ahead with reservation of 27 per cent seats in institutes of higher education for OBCs.

In Mysore, the anti-reservation agitation entered the ninth day today, with over 1,000 students, belonging to the JSS medical college and Mysore Medical College, and junior doctors taking out a procession, passing through the main thoroughfares of Mysore and culminating at the Deputy Commissioner's office. They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner S Selva Kumar, urging the Centre to withdraw the order immediately.

Traffic was disrupted in many places following the procession.

Meanwhile, the relay hunger strike by medicos in front of the Cheluvamma Hospital in the palace city continued for the sixth day today.

The agitation by the junior doctors had completely thrown out of gear services at the K R Hospital, including emergency services.

A report from Gulbarga said junior doctors and students of the M R Medical College boycotted classes, gathered in front of the college and raised slogans against the Centre and Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh.

In Davangere, more than 5,000 students of various professional colleges took out a procession and submitted a memorandum to the Headquarters Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, highlighting their demands.

The functioning of the District Hospital continued to be affected following the medicos sitting on a relay fast for the last one week.

A report from Bijapur said students of the Sri B M Patil Medical College and Al-Ameen medical college staged a dharna and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

Student representatives told reporters that they would be opening eight booths in Bijapur to deliver lecture on reservation and why they were opposing it.

UNI TEAM-RG VD RK1900