HT Correspondent
Varanasi, December 17
Even though the medicos of Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) of Banaras Hindu University are doing their routine hospital work, they are on indefinite relay hunger strike since Friday night to show their resentment over the smooth passage of quota Bill in Lok Sabha.
“We are on an indefinite hunger strike,” Dr Kamal Gupta, a junior resident doctor of IMS told HT. He added, “A batch of three resident doctors go on fast while carrying on with their work in the hospital.”
“The protest started from Friday evening and will continue indefinitely,” he said. Gupta pointed out that the resident doctors did not want the patients to suffer so they have decided that a group of three would observe strike without affecting medical services.
The students of BHU, including the students of Institute of Technology and medicos, took out a peace march on Saturday evening. The march started from IMS Gate to the main gate of BHU on Saturday to protest against the bill. Similar march were scheduled for Sunday evening, too.
They are demanding withdrawal of the bill. The medical students also held a general body meeting of their association late on Saturday evening to chalk out the future course of action.
The students of Institute of Technology (IT-BHU) had observed a three-day ‘Pen-Down Movement’ from April 12 to 14 against reservation. The IT students had boycotted all classes, labs, workshops and even session examinations against Union HRD minister Arjun Singh’s move to introduce 27 per cent quota in centrally-sponsored educational institutions.
Apart from this, the medical students and resident doctors of IMS-BHU had gone on a strike in May and June this year. The medicos even ran parallel OPDs to register their protest against quota for OBCs.