NEW DELHI: Over 200 students from five medical colleges of Delhi — All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College, University College of Medical Sciences and Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College — staged an anti-reservation demonstration in the heart of the capital on Wednesday.

The students, protesting against the Government's proposed reservation policy for Other Backward Classes in Central universities and institutes of higher learning, were rounded-up and packed off in police buses early on Wednesday from Aurobindo Marg when they tried to march towards the residence of Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh.

Peaceful rally planned

Carrying banners and placards, the students claimed that they had planned a peaceful rally and wanted to meet the Minister to demand the withdrawal of the proposed reservation. The students claimed that they were roughed up by the police and sent off to Jantar Mantar.

In the evening, the protesters again assembled under the banner of ``Youth For Equality'' and began marching down Janpath demanding that HRD Ministry officials hear them out. The police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse them.

Students determined

``The police used force to prevent us from demonstrating in front of the HRD Minister's house and some students from the Lady Hardinge Medical College were injured. But we are determined to carry on with the protest till HRD Ministry officials give us a hearing,'' said Anirudh Lochan, a student of University College of Medical Sciences.

``The recent recommendation to create a 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Classes will compromise on the quality of health professionals in this country. The new policy will further decrease the number of seats available on the basis of merit,'' said a student of Lady Hardinge Medical College.

The student representatives claimed that they would now contact their counterparts in other medical and professional institutions in the country to garner support for their cause. Also, they claimed that they would boycott classes from Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Anand Mohan said: ``The students were picked up from Aurobindo Marg, some distance away from the HRD Minister's residence, and brought to Jantar Mantar. They later shifted from Jantar Mantar to Janpath where they blocked the road and tried to reach the Minister's house again. We had to use tear gas and water cannon to disperse them.''

The students are demanding an apology from the police.

``We were pushed into a bus and brought to Jantar Mantar from Aurobindo Marg. When we shifted to Janpath the police used tear gas and water cannon. We want to assert that we are doctors who will serve the country and not hooligans,'' said a protesting student.

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