Quota stir ‘very serious’, end strike immediately: SC

Quota stir 'very serious', end strike immediately: SC

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=68446

R Venkataraman & Agencies
Posted online: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 1110 hours IST
Updated: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 1418 hours IST

New Delhi, May 30: In a suo moto cognisance the Supreme Court on Tuesday took a serious view of the on going anti-quota protests against the proposed 27 per cent hike for OBC

The apex court directed the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, representing the Centre, to file a memorandum and the latest position with regard to the strike, and listed the matter on Wednesday for further hearing.

The vacation bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice L S Panta in a brief order on Tuesday said that the court has given enough indication to end the strike.

The order was unscheduled as there was no case listed in the matter. The unusual turn was provoked by the continuing strike.

The order is as follows:

“It has come to our notice that notwithstanding the clear indication given by this court that in view of the fact that issues relating to reservation for OBCs are being examined by this court, agitations, protests and strikes in relation to this issue should be immediately called off, more surprisingly, the contrary seems to be happening. This is a very serious matter. It is ultimately the people who want to be treated at the hospital got affected.

List the writ petitions tomorrow May 31, 2006. Let learned Additional Solicitor General file the memorandum indicating the latest position as regarding the agitation, protests and strikes relating to the issue.

Copy of the order be given to the Additional Solicitor General.”

The students immediately called a general body meeting to decide their next course of action. The protesting doctors were consulting legal experts and holding a meeting. "We are consulting legal experts," said Dr Vinod patra, President of the AIIMS Resident Doctors' association. Dr Neha Gami, a spokesperson of 'Youth for Equality', which is spearheading the medicos' agitation, said, "we will be in a position to comment only after we receive a copy of the court order."

The meeting of representatives of the protesting doctors was being held to discuss the observations made by the Supreme Court, Gami said.

Patra said "we will examine the Supreme Court directive word by word and take a decision."

Talking to a news channel, a representative of the striking doctors said, "if the Supreme Court has given such an order, we will definitely respect the judiciary".

The fact that SC has "acknowledged our PIL is important for us ", he added.

On Monday the apex court, in a moral observation, had observed, "agitation should stop now, although we are not making it a part of the order".

When the petitions council sought an interim stay, Justicse Pasayat had said, "it’s not necessary. We have put them on enough alert".

However, agitating anti-reservation medicos on Monday night decided to continue their strike despite an appeal by the Supreme Court to call off their fortnight-long stir.

The decision was taken at a meeting of representatives from 30 medical colleges across the country.

"We have decided to continue the strike. We respect the Supreme Court directive to the Centre to explain the basis on which it went ahead with the OBC quota. This has strengthened our charter of demands," said Dr Vinod Patra, President of AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association.

Asked about the Supreme Court appeal to end the strike, he said "we will consider it as soon as it reaches us."