'Sonia Gandhi should intervene in quota issue'

Kanpur, May 29: Forum of Indians Against Reservation (FIR) today expressed surprise over the silence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the OBC reservation issue.

Talking to newspersons here, FIR convenor Rahul Gupta urged Ms Gandhi to intervene in the proposed quota to OBCs in higher education issue.

''Being the UPA chairperson, Ms Gandhi should take interest in resolving the issue, as the students fraternity is agitated on the the burning issue,'' Mr Gupta said.

He claimed the situation had reached such a point that students were thinking of immolating themselves. ''By maintaining silence on the issue, she is giving her silent support to the quota proposal,'' he noted.

Mr Gupta hoped that the Congress chief would not be a party in the ''politically motivated reservation'' policy as it would only divide the student community.

He also welcomed the relay hunger strikes by junior doctors and students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and called upon the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) faculty to extend morale support to the striking students.

UNI