Pro-quota activists stage dharna in Jaipur

Jaipur, May 24 (UNI) Urging all Dalits and backward classes to fight unitedly for their due, pro-quota activists today staged a dharna here and praised the UPA's government's move to provide reservation in higher educational institutes.

Aarakshan Samarthak Manch leader and Congress legislator from Alwar Karan Singh Yadav called upon all backward classes to join hands to fight for their rights.

Mr Yadav said no political party is against 27 percent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutes.

He said all parties are supporting reservation in colleges, with the BJP only expressing concern about the lathicharge on agitators in Mumbai and Delhi.

Bahujan Samaj Party's Suresh Meena accused the media of giving more importance to anti-reservation campaigns and called for burning copies of local newspapers.

The Manch pamphlets, however, condemned the lathicharge on student agitators in Patna.

Meanwhile, reports from Ganagnagar say that all private and government hospitals in the city will remain closed tomorrow due to the bandh called by Indian Medical Association in protest against the reservations. Only emergency services will operate in the hospitals.

Reports from Bikaner say traders have agreed to support the medical bandh. The agitators took out a rally from PBM hospital today while the pro-quota activists took out an awareness rally.

UNI RRT VD KP1506