New Delhi: Hundreds of people attended a rally organised by doctors and medical students in Delhi against the Government’s reservation policy.
Anti-reservation activists from across the country joined doctors and medical students at the Dilli Aao Desh Bachao rally in Ramlila grounds.
Waving placards and raising anti-government, anti-quota slogans 'Abolish Reservation' and 'Down with Reservation', thousands of protestors from several cities, under the aegis of Youth for Equality, paraded from Veerbhoomi and converged at the Ramlila Grounds.
Disappointed with the stalemate, representatives of striking doctors and students on Saturday morning held an informal meeting with Minister of State without Portfolio Oscar Fernandes.
They said the meeting also discussed the "mess and miscommunication" Union Health Secretary PK Hota had caused after the negotiations with the Prime Minister.
Not only have the doctors refused to call off the strike but software and engineering students have also joined in for protests in Hyderabad and Bhopal.
Striking anti-reservation medicos geared up for a show of strength on Saturday by holding a maha rally in New Delhi.
The maha rally was organised by the Youth for Equality forum and was called Dilli Aao Desh Bachao Aandolan.
"This rally will give the government the message that we mean business. We will not be bogged down and we will continue with the agitation," Youth for Equality leader Sasmit Sarangi said.
Thousands of doctors and medical students from across the country took part in the rally that began at 1630 hrs (IST) from Vir Bhumi, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's memorial to the Ramlila Grounds demanding a rollback of the Government's quota proposal and setting up of a Judicial Committee to review the reservation policy.
Students from Gujarat, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Jharkhand joined the rally.
Traders, representatives of Residents Welfare Associations, teachers, lawyers and engineers also attended the rally to show solidarity with the striking medicos.
Striking medicos protesting against OBC quota in elite educational institutions are likely to announce a decision on whether they will call off their agitation after a mega rally here this evening.
MP and former cricketer Navjot Sidhu and Management Guru and author Shiv Khera also attended the rally and addressed the protestors.
Disappointed with inconclusive talks with the Prime Minister, the students and doctors said they had hoped for a better outcome from the discussion with the PM.
Meanwhile, students are keeping communication channels open and say they are ready for talks with the Prime Minister again.
On Friday, Manmohan Singh had assured them that they need not be worried over shrinking educational opportunities as he foresaw a massive expansion of the higher education system.
P K Hota was likely to meet students at Maulana Azad Medical College again on Saturday.
In Bhopal, engineering students organised a rock concert Agaaz to express their resentment against reservations on Saturday.
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