Rishi Gupta, a 23-year-old resident of East Delhi, tried to immolate himself at the Ramlila grounds during an anti-reservation rally.
NEW DELHI: Two immolation bids during anti-reservation protests on Saturday revived memories of the 1990 Mandal protests.
Rishi Gupta, a 23-year-old resident of Shahdara in East Delhi, tried to immolate himself at the capital’s Ramlila grounds during an anti-reservation rally. He has been admitted to hospital with 30 per cent burns.
Police said Gupta was not linked to the protests and it was unclear why he set himself on fire. The other bid was made by Surendra Mohanty, a post-graduate student of SCB Medical College in Cuttack. He did not suffer any burns. Saturday’s Dilli Aao Desh Bachao rally drew more than 15,000 people.
The government announced an increase in the number of seats at AIIMS from 50 to 90. This failed to appease the students. “They are trying to separate the students of AIIMS from others,” said Dr Safal Singh from the Maulana Azad Medical College.
The large crowd that had assembled at the Ramlila grounds was shocked when Gupta immolated himself at the entrance of the ground and ran on to the streets. Police officials who were present at the spot immediately stopped and overpowered him.
“Though we do not have complete details, we know that he was not a student associated with the cause of reservations. We think external forces are trying to destroy our movement by maligning it,” said Dr Vinod Patro, President, RDA, AIIMS.
Saturday’s Dilli Aao Desh Bachao rally organised by the striking students saw a huge response. More than 15000 people were present at the site, which included people from various states. Corporates, NGOs, senior citizens, resident welfare groups, parents, faculty and students, seemed unified in raising slogans against reservations.
Though the government was hoping that the strike would end before the rally, the students seem to be in no mood to withdraw. “We have seen enough see-sawing of the government’s stand, now we want our demands to be met,” said Amitasha Sinha from Lady Hardinge.
The government was clearly on appease-mode when it announced an increase in the total number of seats at the AIIMS from 50-90. But this did not pass muster with students. “AIIMS is the only institute where there is adequate infrastructure to support an increase in seats, which we have maintained from the beginning. Will the government be able to increase seats in LHMC which already has 130 students or MAMC which has 180?” asked AIIMS Faculty Association general secretary KK Handa.
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