Striking medicos invoke divine power against quota

Allahabad, May 24 (UNI) The anti-quota brigade led by striking medicos of Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital here today performed ''arti'', ''havan'' and ''yajnas'' to invoke divine support against the proposed 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in elite educational institutions.

Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike by junior doctors of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College today entered the second day.

Criticising the adamant attitude of union HRD minister Arjun Singh, the junior doctors are sitting on indefinite hunger strike in SRN Hospital. They have asserted they would continue their agitation until their demands were met.

They claimed the support of teachers, doctors and intellectuals towards their casuse and hope the government withdrew the proposal for OBC reservation.

President of junior doctors assocition, Dr Neeraj Srivastava said an anti-reservation 'maha rally' will be taken out on May 28, in which junior medicos from all over UP, students of engineering institutions and guardians of striking medicos would participate.

Striking doctors remained defiant to notices to vacate hostels, saying they would continue with their agitation until a positive outcome.

The OPD of SRN Hospital remained closed today. Emergency services are open, but adequate number of doctors in proportion to patients are unavailable.

Meanwhile, pro-reservationists welcomed the decision of the union for 27 per cent quota in elite educational institutions from next year and distributed sweets.

UNI JL VS VD ND1714