AIIMS fasting doctor critical; Strike enters 5th day

New Delhi, Dec 18: Even as the condition of a fasting AIIMS resident doctor turned critical, the indefinite hunger strike, in protest against the passage of the OBC Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, continued on the fifth day.

AIIMS RDA Vice President Dr Kamlesh Kumar was admitted to the emergency ward of the hospital as his condition deteriorated.

His pulse and other vital parameters were weak, RDA Leader Dr Anil Sharma said.

However, the other 24 fasting doctors are attending duty in the hospital despite showing sign of weakness.

''If the need arises, then we will admit the person in the hospital and there all the doctors are free to break the fast any time they want,'' he asserted.

Services in the premier healthcare institution are not affected by the strike and patients are being attended to.

The doctors, protesting the passage of the OBC reservation bill in the Lok Sabha, are accusing the government of ''betraying'' them and failing to secure the interest of the masses.

''This is vote bank politics and nothing else. After almost 60 years of Independence the country is being divided on caste lines,'' Dr Sharma said.

Dr Sharma, who is also on the hunger strike, said the Government was not considering any demands or recommendations of the committees on the issue.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006, provides for 27 per cent quota for OBC students in higher educational institutions maintained and aided by the Union Government.

On Thursday night, the 15 executive members immediately went on the hunger strike after the Lower House passed the Bill.

Dr Sharma reiterated that the agitation will be peaceful and non-violent.

The AIIMS RDA, under the banner of Youth for Equality, had started and spearheaded the anti-quota agitation since May.

Students from almost all institutions took to streets in May and September in protest against OBC reservation.

The doctors have appealed the public to support the anti-quota agitation.

UNI

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