Jaipur observes bandh against reservation

Jaipur, May 25 (UNI) Jaipur and Bikaner are observing a bandh today in protest against the 27 percent reservation for OBC's in institutes of higher education.

The main markets in both the cities and government hospitals are closed.

In the walled city of Jaipur, 90 percent shops are closed.

However shops outside the walled city are open and traffic is operating normally.

The bandh has been called by Youth for Equality, Swarn Aarakshan Manch and also by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

About 1,000 specialists, resident doctors and common people took out a rally from Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, passed through Ramniwas Bagh, Choti Chaupar and reached Badi Chaupar where a meeting was held. Doctors shouted slogans against the proposed reservations and voiced their protests.

With the resident doctors on strike and most doctors participating in the rally, services in the SMS hospital have been a effected.

Hospital sources said as most doctors are away for the rally, no operations have been conducted today. Doctors have not gone for their usual rounds which have left the patients in a lurch. Efforts are being made to keep the emergency services running.

Doctors of Kota's Maharaja Bhimrao Hospital took out a rally and marched to the Collectorate and handed a memorandum to the Collector.

Reports from Jodhpur say services have been totally partysed in Mathuradas Mathur Hospital as doctors there have also taken out a rally.

Reports from Alwar say 30 doctors from both the government hospitals there have taken group leave in protest against the reservation.

Chief Medical Officer Dr K K Agarwal, however, said the services have not been affected as emergency services were on and doctors are treating patients.

However IMA's district chief Dr R G Agrawal said the hospital services have been almost paralysed due to the agitation.

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