Medicos call ''Dilli Aao Desh Bachao'' protest rally on May 27

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Striking doctors and medical students have called a ''Dilli Aao Desh Bachao'' protest rally here on Saturday which is expected to be attended by anti-reservation activists from across the country.

''We are expecting activists from across the country at the rally here on May 27 and we are hopeful that the turnout will be very good,'' AIIMS RDA President and Youth for Equality President Binod Patra told UNI.

The rally is scheduled to be held at the Ramlila Ground from 1630 hrs.

He said the rally will be a show of strength and a message to the government that the agitation will not be withdrawn.

''We are severely disappointed with the way the government has ignored our demands... but that will not deter us we will go on,'' he added.

Criticising the Government, he said on one hand it was holding negotiations with the medicos while on the other it took a decision on the proposal.

''They have back- stabbed us.... This is not how a democracy works,'' he added.

The indefinite strike by medicos continued on the twelfth day.

The already impacted medical services in AIIMS were completely crippled as the AIIMS Faculty Association, comprising senior doctors went on a day-long mass casual leave.

However, Emergency services were operational and patients were being attended there.

Heavy deployment of police and Rapid Action Force has been done in and around AIIMS where the medical students started the indefinite hunger strike on May 13.

Since more than 130 of the fasting 180 medical students had taken ill more students have joined in. As many as 100 students are now on an indefinite hunger strike at AIIMS.

The UPA Left coordination meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on May 23 decided to implement in letter and spirit the 93rd Constitutional Amendment enabling 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions.

A specific bill will be brought in the Monsoon session of Parliament in this regard.

The doctors and medical students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdarjang, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Maulana Azad and the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narain hospitals are on the strike.

Resident and Junior doctors of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, Ram Manohar Lohia, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ihbas hospitals had also joined the stir.

UNI NR HT1505