OBC bill: YoE starts mass mobilisation campaign

New Delhi, Dec 22: As the relay hunger strike by AIIMS resident doctors continued on the ninth day today, the Youth for Equality (YfE) began a mass mobilisation campaign against the OBC Reservation Bill, which was approved by Parliament.

''We want to turn the agitation into a mass movement and ensure that people of India are aware of the consequences of the Bill. The people of this country will decide how to take the agitation forward,'' YfE leader and AIIMS RDA President Dr Kumar Harsh said.

He said YfE representatives were in touch with several organisations within and outside the national capital to garner support for the anti-quota agitation.

''People in Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and IP University have already started protests... besides we are in touch with others also,'' Dr Harsh added.

The indefinite hunger strike, which began last Thursday, had turned into a relay protest as the fasting doctors were showing acute signs of weakness.

Consequently, a batch of 20 AIIMS resident doctors on December 20 replaced the 25 doctors, who have been on a hunger strike for over a week.

The decision was taken to ensure that the patient care in the institute was not affected and the services continued smoothly.

The residents have been reporting on duty despite being on the hunger strike, Dr Harsh said.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006, which provides 27 per cent quota for OBC students in higher educational institutions maintained and aided by the Union Government, was approved by both Houses of Parliament last week.

UNI

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