Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore - Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje
with album by Geekay

Mangalore, May 12 (Friday, 8-00 pm): The medical student fraternity of the district organized a massive protest against the policy of reservation being sought to be implemented by the union government in the medical sector, by taking out a procession on Friday from the Light House Hill to the deputy commissioner's office, where they submitted a memorandum to be sent to the president of India.

They carried placards against reservation policy and chanted slogans. The memorandum decried the reservation of 27% of seats to the OBCs in higher education. It said that the recommendation given by the union government on the issue of reservations of seats to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to the tune of 27% in schools of higher education all over India is indeed regrettable.

It is strongly felt that the implementation of this proposal will not only undermine the value of merit but also compromise with the principles of freedom and equality that a free democratic nation like India should be based on. It is indeed unfortunate that the peaceful protests taken out by the student community in the Delhi medical schools in this regard have been dealt with by force by the police and the Government. The local medical student community would like to extend its full support in this regard to those medical students who have raised their voice against this issue of reservations, said the memorandum.

The union government is unfortunately not in any visible mood to heed to the voices of the forthcoming generation which is going to be the foundation of a free and strong India that the president himself has envisaged. So his intervention has been sought this matter to save the image of a free and democratic India in the eyes of the forthcoming generations.

The memorandum adds that all those who have got a graduate degree are equals in all respects and hence reservation for post-graduation studies is unjust towards meritorious graduates who have the potential to transform the country into a powerhouse of Science, Commerce and Arts Research.

The memorandum also carried the signatures of all the students who have supported this campaign.

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The protesters have appealed to fellow medicos as follows:

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We the young blood of India have gathered here to display our feeling of dissent against the irrational and unjust recommendations which may put our future and thereby putting our whole country's future in jeopardy.

We as future doctors who would love to serve our country without any prejudice towards our patient are being put to think about caste and its likes which may force us to change our perspective towards the noble profession.

The recommendation of the government of India to reserve 27% of the seats in all institutions of higher education to other backward classes which if successful will raise the total number of reserved seats to a rocketing high figure of 49.5%
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We have gathered here today to voice our opposition to  this move and we strongly and vehemently believe that this is highly unjust, unfair and selfish move by the central government to gather nothing but a vote bank. We have also gathered here in support of our counter parts in delhi medical colleges and other parts of India. We strongly support the cause and join hands with them in our fight for equality.

Quality is what our nation has come to be known for. Our graduates are accepted world-wide and have put us in a respectful position in the global scenario. It is This quality incorporated in our graduates by the centers of higher education which will be put to stake if we make it easy for a particular group to enter the centers of higher education with less meritorious capacities.

Kapil Sibal, himself a visionary, stated "The government must not initiate any measures like quota that would dilute India's competition in the global economy". I also quote economic leaders of our country, Mr. Narayan Murthy and Mr. Premji who have this very simple line to say that, "There are no faces of caste or religion in international business."

What our country lacks today is equity. It's the poor who lack the opportunity and not the rich of a backward class. It is this issue which needs to be attended to. I'm not saying that the reservations are unaaceptable to us. Reservations are acceptable to us but only on an acceptable basis at an acceptable level and to an acceptable limit. We strongly believe that all graduates from professional colleges be it of any caste stand on a common ground as far as academic opportunities are concerned. If reservation is given to one group it automatically handicaps the other and this is where reservations becomes unacceptable.

So if the government of India wishes to wash it's hands off from the acquisition of gathering a vote bank it should completely abolish the reservations based on caste. Reservations are not an answer to the developing nations demand, scholarships are. Scholarship to the economically backward for education and other modalities of life will strengthen our roots.

At the level of professional colleges and above the agriculture based economy, India, must not forget that to reap the best we need to sow the best.

We do not end here we begin here and if ever the need arises we should start frorn where we leave today.

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