Students weigh pros and cons as SC warns

New Delhi, May 30: Even as the Supreme Court warned striking students that persisting with the stir could amount to contempt, anti-reservationists continued their protests for the 17th day today.

While agitationists were consulting lawyers as well as their counterparts arcoss the country before they took a final decision on the future course of action, the apex court observed ''We are told that they (doctors) are continuing with the strike, if they are over reaching our order they are in for a surprise.''

''There are two judgements of this court which say that if the court is seized of a matter delivering of speeches, holding demonstrations and resorting to stike could amount to contempt of court. And we can go to that extent.'' However, the court assured the striking students that it would take care of the concerns of all the parties while examining the Centre's order on increasing OBC quota seats in institutes of higher and technical education.

The courts observations came after the Centre filed a memoradum on the status of the strike and the students call for a 'complete' medical bandh tomorrow.

Meanwhile, 'parallel' OPDs resumed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences today even as its facility its faulty members began a hunger strike without disturbing work, as students from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru University joined forces with the medicos.

A rally was held at the Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital here this morning.

Students will also take out a 'bike rally' through the streets of the national capital, starting from the University college of Medical Sciences, passing various medical colleges before culminating at AIIMS.

The protestors have also called for a 'complete' medical bandh in the capital tomorrow. Private hospitals and clinics are also expected to join the 'bandh'.

The Delhi Medical Association also expressed concern over the government's approach towards resolution of the issue.

Rejecting the government's assurance to students that it would expand medical education facilities vis-a-vis the reservation of seats, the DMA said it opposed ''reservations per se and the methodology of implementing reservations''.

The DMA called upon all its member institutions/nursing homes clinics, laboratories, individual members and members of the medical fraternity to close their OPDs and planned surgeries tomorrow.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court had decided to examine the order of the union government providing for 27.5 per cent reservation for the students belonging to the OBC category in admission to educational institutions. A vacation bench, comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice L S Panta issued notices to the Centre on a PIL filed by advocate A K Thakur challenging the validity of the impugned government order announced by Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh.

The court expressed the hope that agitating students would call off their agitation in larger public interest and also in the interest of patients.

The court, while granting eight weeks' time to the respondents to file their response, refused to stay the operation of the impugned order on the grounds that it was a policy decision.

The court directed the union government to explain the basis of determining the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and rationale behind adopting norms for identifying OBCs. The apex court also directed the seven respondents which include various union ministries to give details of modalities adopted for identifying the OBCs and also the basis of such modalities.

The court also made it clear that the contention of the petitioner that the impugned order of the government would divide the nation along caste lines, would also be examined appropriately at a later stage.

The order had great social and political ramifications as the impugned order may result in dividing this great country on caste lines, it said.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium accepting the notice on behalf of the Centre hoped for withdrawal of the strike by the students in view of the developments in the apex court.

The Supreme Court also issued notices to the Centre, states and union territories on a PIL by Management Guru Shiv Khera challenging the constitutional validity of the 93rd Constitutional amendment.

The amendment inserted clause 5 in Article 15 of the Constitution enabling the State to make any special provision for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes including SC/STs and OBCs for providing reservation to them in admission to educational institutions including private ones.

Later, the government too urged doctors and agitating students to call off their more than two-week-long strike.

UNI

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