Quota stir: Doctors rejoin work

Medical students went back to their classes and resident doctors to work today in the Capital, marking the end of the 19-day-old anti-reservation stir here. But, the students said they still did not know what could happen even in a matter of hours.

"It is practically over for now. But we don't know what would happen three hours from now,'' said Anmay Sharma, one of the spokespersons of Youth for Equality and a student of All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

"We have gone back to our classes and to work as the Supreme Court has intervened and has taken into account our concerns. We filed a petition with a charter of demands and the court has even sent a notice to the Central Government asking it to reply. Besides, the court said the matter is sub judice and public health should not be a casualty of our agitation,'' he said.

The government hospitals here were once again buzzing with activity following resumption of duties by resident doctors. Long queues were seen at Safdarjung Hospital, while the mood was similar at AIIMS, the main venue of the strike.

However, a rally was held today outside Delhi University's north campus demanding a complete rollback of the proposed reservation for the OBCs. Students, numbering about 50, said they were trying to mobilise other students as the admissions to the varsity were opening today.

Students from Delhi University, IIT-Kanpur and IIM-Kolkata under the banners of Youth for Justice and United Students, also blocked the Ring Road for a few minutes. However, they dispersed after the police intervened.

While medical students in most states have gone back to their classes, in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa the agitation is yet to be called off.

In Rajasthan, members of the teaching staff of Rajasthan's biggest medical college today staged a relay hunger strike in support of the anti-quota stir by the medicos. Seven teachers of SMS Medical College and Hospital, wearing black badges, joined the hunger strike.

The Youth for Equality there said that they were continuing the agitation as they had not received a copy of the apex court's directive to rejoin work. "Our general body meeting will decide whether to call off the agitation after receiving a copy of the court's directive," the students said.

Junior doctors in Madhya Pradesh also continued to strike work today as part of the anti-quota agitation and accused the Centre of making false promises of increasing seats, especially in the state medical colleges.

However, in view of their counterparts returning to work in Delhi, representatives of junior doctors from medical colleges in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Rewa and Jabalpur, were holding a meeting in the state capital to chalk out further course of action.

"The strike will continue in MP. Medical colleges in the state are under-staffed and lacking infrastructure. The Centre can't increase seats as the Medical Council of India will never permit it," Junior Doctors' Association General Secretary Anand Rai told mediapersons.