Docs on Strike Against Reservation

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May 25, 2006
Docs on Strike Against Reservation
Sirsa Doctors went on complete strike today in protest against proposed reservation policy of the union Govt. Members of IMA (Indian Medical Association), NIMA (National Integrated Medical Association), students of JCD: Dental College, College of Pharmacy, Physiotherapy College, after holding a meeting at Surkhab Complex took out a protest march holding placards and raising slogans against resrvation and Arjun Singh thoughout the city Bazars braving the scorching hot and humid day. At Sangwan chowk the protesting doctors burnt an effigy of Arjun Singh HRD minister. Later a seven member delegation of the doctors went to give a memorandum addressed to the President of India Dr. APJ Kalam, to the Deputy Commissioner MR. Vimal Chandra.The Deputy Commissioner was not available in his absence the memorandum was received by the DRO.

Dr. R. M. Arora comments:
An interactive interview of Aamir Khan telecast by Star News on 26th evening must be an eye-opener for the politicians of every class & creed.Aamir is very clear in his mind about what he is doing and dares to express it. The program included his comments on reservation in educational institution.Is there a way to retrieve such programs officially from the channels and show it to those who, unfortunately, missed it last evening?

From: Sirsa News Desk:
Well, the official web site of the Star News is http://starnews.indya.com/ it has options to subscribe to log in into the site to view the matter posted on the Star News site. However the technology called IPTV, to watch TV programs already telecast at later stage (Video On Demand) is in pipeline and shall be soon available to Indian viewers as well, [IPTV is the next generation of convergence, which uses telephone lines to offer TV content unlike the existing system of having a separate cable for TV and phone. IPTV shall be bundled with other services such as Video on Demand, Voice over Internet Protocol or digital phone, and Web access, collectively called Triple Play. Airtel shall probably be the first company to launch IP TV in select Indian cities, later to available else where also.]

Dr. G.K. Aggarwal has sent a text copy of a letter issued by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru PM, written to all the CMs on June 27th 1961, about his views about reservation:

Dr. Aggarwal writes: “This letter shows what first generation leaders of congress thought on the issue of reservations. Today’s generation is however guided purely by vote bank considerations even if it means dividing the society on caste considerations, leading to class struggle or else suppressing the real talent at cost of pleasing the incompetent or non deserving people."

Nehru’s Letter:The letter has been taken out of the book 'Jawahar Lal Nehru Letters to Chief Ministers 1947-1964 Volume Five' published by Oxford University Press in 1989, Dr Kante told UNI.The letter reads: ''I dislike any kind of reservation, more particularly in Services. I react strongly against anything, which leads to inefficiency and second-rate standards. I want my country to be a first class country in everything. The moment we encourage the second rate, we are lost.''The only real way to help a backward group is to give opportunities of good education; this includes technical education, which is becoming more and more important. Everything else is provision of some kind of crutches which do not act to the strength or health of the body.''We have made recently two decisions, which are very important, one is universal free elementary education to, that is the base and the second is scholarships on a very wide scale at every grade of education to the bright boys and girls, and this applies not merely to literary education, but much more so, to technical, scientific and medical training.''I lay stress on the bright and able boys and girls because it is only they who will raise our standards. I have no doubt that there is a vast reservoir of potential talent in this country if only we can give it opportunity.'' ''But if we go in for reservations on communal or caste basis, we swamp the bright and able people and remain second rate or third rate. I am grieved to learn how far this business of reservation has gone based on communal considerations.''It has amazed me to learn that even promotions are based sometimes on communal or caste considerations. This way lays not only folly, but also disaster. Let us help the backward groups by all means, but never at the cost of efficiency. How are we going to build our public sector or indeed any sector with second rate people.''
Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru
A scanned copy of the excerpts of the letter published in Indian Express dated 17-08-1990 [Hyderabad edition] is available with Sirsa News. [The same is not published on Sirsa News due to possible copyright infringement issues.]