Docs launch disobedience campaign

New Delhi: Protesting medicos are planning to step up their agitation today - this despite the fact that President A P J Abdul Kalam appealed to them on Wednesday to call off their anti-quota agitation.

The medicos decision comes after the Government decided to implement reservations for Other Backward Classes by June 2007.

Medicos remained firm on their demand of setting up a separate Empowered Commission to examine the entire reservation policy.

The scientist-president asked the medicos to end their hunger strike and resume normal student life assuring them that the number of seats in central educational institutions will be increased.

His appeal came after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two appeals to the medicos to call off their agiation, which have been turned down.

Instead, agitating doctors have called for a nationwide strike on Thursday and the students of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have launched a 'civil disobedience' movement.

The campaign is to enlist the support of Resident Welfare Associations, traders and other sections of the society in their movement against introduction of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in institutes of higher learning.

"This is an attempt to widen our agitation. We are seeking the support of all the sections of the society," said a MAMC student and representative of Youth for Equality, Safal.

Traders in Delhi will also shut their shops till 1300 hours on Thursday in support of the protesting doctors.

The trader community has said they will go on strike with the students unless the Government rolls back its quota decision within the next 100 hours.

Protesting doctors have already stopped running parallel Out Patient Departments and have launched a postcard campaign against quotas.

Students from IIT and Delhi University have also joined the protests.

Meanwhile, the Government's idea to hold walk-in interviews and hire doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical hospital, have been cancelled.

In fact, on Wednesday, protesting doctors had blocked the entrance at the Safdarjung hospital, not allowing the interviews to take place.

The medicos, under the banner of 'Youth for Equality', will also call on the President later in the day on Thursday to explain their position on the issue and to convey the message that they will continue with the strike.

"We really thank the President for his concern, but it has come a bit too late as the Government has already announced its decision to go ahead with the proposal," said a representative of Youth for Equality, Amithasha Sinha.

Meanwhile, junior doctors of five premier medical colleges, MCD hospitals and other health centres continued their strike for the 14th day.

The hunger strike too has entered its 12th day.

The Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Delhi unit will hold a sit-in at AIIMS in support of the stir.

IMA's chapters in other states have called for a medical bandh, the second such shutdown by the apex medical body since the stir began.

The AIIMS Faculty Association has also decided to go on mass casual leave from Thursday in support of the anti-quota stir, but made it clear they will ensure that basic health-care services are not disrupted.

A group of students, preparing for various entrance examinations of institutions like IITs and IIMs, will hold a fire walk here to register their protest against the reservation hike.

(With inputs from PTI)

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