HC admits PIL seeking action on medicos

New Delhi: The judiciary entered the quota row on Tuesday with the Delhi high court issuing notices to the central and Delhi governments as well as the Medical Council of India on a public interest petition filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, seeking direction to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the striking medicos.

The centre also sought direction to declare the strike against the implementation of OBC quota in higher learning illegal.

The students, however, were unfazed. “Even if ESMA is issued, the maximum damage that can be done is to terminate our services,” said Jitendar, president of resident doctors at Maulana Azad Medical College.

“They have already done that.” “It is difficult to impose ESMA on 2000 doctors, and they have not done anything as yet,” added Amitasha Sinha from Lady Hardinge Medical College.

At the AIIMS, striking students participated in a blood march on the tenth day of their hunger strike. The 60 students on hunger strike donated 5ml blood which was filled in test tubes and thrown at pictures of Arjun Singh.

Meanwhile, in a blow to the students, divisions appeared in the Indian Medical Association, which had so far been supporting them. The newly formed Indian National Medical Association accused some doctors of the forward classes of dominating the medical body, and alleged that they were politically motivated in their support to the anti-reservation agitation.