As many as 25 junior doctors who have been protesting the central government decision to implement 27 per cent reservations for other backward classes have sought President APJ Abdul Kalam's permission for self-immolation.
They have faxed a letter to the president seeking his "permission to immolate themselves", informed Ashutosh Dixit, who is leading the protesting doctors.
Four of the junior doctors sitting on a relay hunger strike at Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital even wore nooses around their necks in a symbolic show of their objection to quotas.
"Four nooses symbolise the death of intelligence, merit, unity and equality with reservations," Dixit said.
On the other hand, a meeting of the Medical College Council held at Gandhi Medical College (GMC), Bhopal, has urged the junior doctors to resume their duties.
"If the junior doctors fail to resume their duties, we will request the state government to make alternate arrangements to run the hospital," said Hamidia Hospital Superintendent SC Tiwari.