General caste associations decide to support doctors stir

Chandigarh, May 28 (UNI) Different associations of the general castes today decided to extend moral, financial and physical support to medical students and resident doctors, protesting against caste-based reservation policy.

A joint meeting, attended by representatives of Brahmin, Kshatrya, Khatri, Mahajan, Rajput, Aggarwal, Gulati, Khukhrain, Jaat and Sood sabhas, chaired by Shri Brahman Sabha president R P Sharma, was held here.

In a press release, Mr Sharma said a sum of Rs 11,000 was presented to Chandigarh Doctors' Student Association on behalf of all the associations.

''The total population of the above mentioned castes is 80 per cent but the government under the policy of ''Divide and Rule'' has put some sub-caste as Vishkarma, Yadav, Saini, Gujjar, Kurmi, Lodh and many others in new reserved category. This is unjustifiable and incorrect as these sub-castes are the general castes of Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaish,'' Mr Sharma said.

The president has asked the presidents of Congress, BJP, BSP, and Communist parties to explain their stand on the ''defective'' reservation policies.

The meeting decided that the reservation should be given to poor people of every caste and community on the basis of economic criteria.

The benefit of reservation should be given to families with two children and there should be no reservation in technical, scientific, research and professional colleges, it added.

UNI DP HS DB/KP2305