New Delhi: The six-day-long indefinite hunger strike by AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA), protesting against the OBC Reservation Bill by Parliament, turned into a relay protest on Tuesday as the fasting doctors were showing acute signs of weakness.
The General Body meeting of the RDA decided that a fresh batch of resident doctors will replace the previous group on hunger strike. The fasting doctors were given fluids on Tuesday as their condition deteriorated further.
The decision was taken to ensure that patient care in the institute was not affected and the services continued smoothly.
Meanwhile, the residents were reporting on duty despite being on the hunger strike.
“Our priority is patient care and they should not suffer at any cost. We have asked all the fasting doctors to eat because it is a long-drawn battle and we have to survive till the end,'' RDA president Dr Kumar Harsh told UNI.
Harsh added that they will ensure that doctors are available for the patients round the clock.
“This is a peoples' movement and they should not suffer,'' he said.
The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006, provides for 27 per cent quota for OBC students in higher educational institutions maintained and aided by the Union Government.
On December 14, 15 executive members immediately went on hunger strike after the Lower House passed the Bill.
The AIIMS RDA, under the banner of Youth for Equality, had started and spearheaded the anti-quota agitation since May this year.
Students from almost all institutions took to streets in May and September in protest against OBC reservation.
The doctors have appealed the public to support the anti-quota agitation.
(With agency inputs)
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