Student attempts self immolation, movement continues

New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) The anti-reservation movement reached its flashpoint today with an anti-quota activist attempting self immolation in the Capital as the agitation entered the fourteenth day with striking doctors and medical students organising ''Dilli Aao Desh Bachao'' protest rally.

Twenty-three-year-old Rishi Gupta, attempted to immolate himself at the rally in the Capital held under the aegis of Youth For Equality, which is spearheading the movement, reminding one of the self-immolation bid by Rajiv Goswami during the anti-Mandal protests in 1990.

''Dilli Aao Desh Bachao'' rally was attended by scores of anti-reservation activists from across the country. Waving placards and raising anti-government anti-quota slogans 'Abolish Reservation' and 'Down with Reservation', thousands of protestors from several cities, paraded from Veerbhoomi and converged at the Ramlila Ground.

The protestors included resident and junior doctors from several hospitals from across the capital and several cities, including Meerut, Jaipur, Amritsar, Rohtak and Patiala, striking medical students, who are on an indefinite hunger strike since May 13, students from several institutions and organisations, including JNU, IIT, Delhi University, Indraprastha University and schools.

Support poured from people of all walks of life, including lawyers, resident welfare associations, parents, non-government organisations, senior citizens, chartered accountants and representatives from corporate houses, besides backing from the medical fraternity including IMA, DMA, senior doctors, professors and doctors from private hospitals.

Stepping up the...Eds picking up here from line one para five of DI39, AGITATION-RESERVATION-ROUNDUP.

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