W Bengal medicos stage rally against OBC quota

Hundreds of students from state-run medical and dental colleges took out a rally against OBC quota.

Hundreds of students and interns from state-run medical and dental colleges of West Bengal took out a rally in Kolkata on Wednesday to protest the Centre's proposal to introduce a quota for OBCs in institutions of higher learning.

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Holding placards that read "Arjun Singh go back", "We don't want reservation in higher education" and "No dilution of education", the students called for equal opportunities irrespective of caste and creed.

The slogan-shouting medicos marched from Calcutta Medical College through the arterial Chittaranjan Avenue to Esplanade Square, where they held a sit-in demonstration.

They also held a campaign to collect signatures that will be sent with a memorandum to President APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh.

"There have been nation-wide protests on the issue and no concrete decision has been announced by the Centre till now. We will organise a bigger agitation in case nothing happens in the near future," said Shivalik Banerjee, an intern from the Calcutta Medical College, whose students are spearheading the movement.

A seven-member delegation of students later submitted a memorandum to West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

Besides the Calcutta Medical College, the protestors came from Chittaranjan National Medical College, RG Kar Medical College, NRS Medical College, SSKM Medical College, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Dental College and medical colleges in Bankura and Burdwan districts.