24TH AUGUST - SHAMEFUL USE OF MUSCLE POWER BY THE ADMINISTRATION

The anti – reservations protests in Kolkata suffered a jolt today when the administration used its muscle power to intimidate the protesters. This weapon had never been used by the administration during the first phase of the protests in the month of May.

 

The students and junior doctors of the different medical colleges and the students from the engineering, management and general colleges gathered at the Calcutta Medical College campus here today at around 1 p.m. From there they marched on towards the Writers' Building via the C.R.Avenue, one of the busiest streets of the city. But as soon as they crossed the C.R.Avenue-B.B.Ganguly Street crossing at around 3:30 p.m, the police forces suddenly attacked the peaceful rally without any warning hitherto and started the infamous lathicharge to halt the protesters. The protesters in front were brutally beaten up by the police and six students were seriously injured with vital wounds over their face, teeth and eyes with several others suffering minor injuries. The worst was yet to come as some policemen got up on the footpaths to beat up the students who were trying to shelter themselves.

 

In protest, the students sat on the roads and blocked the crossing demanding a public apology from the Chief Minister. However, the administration was not to throw in the towel and after a few hours, the blockade had to be withdrawn as more than 300 protesters were arrested and taken to the Lalbazar Central lock-up and were detained. The remaining of the students marched back to the Calcutta Medical College and waited for the news of their colleagues. The future plans will be made after the release of the arrested students.

However, a class-boycott has been called for in the Calcutta Medical College on the 25^th of August.

23RD AUGUST - PROTESTS BEGIN ONCE AGAIN

As the Government stuck to their newly proposed reservation and the bill was passed in the ministry, protests geared up once again spearheaded by Delhi. The students of Kolkata followed their colleagues of the capital as today they launched the second stage of the anti-reservation protests in the city. Students of different institutions of the city along with the students and junior doctors of the medical colleges demonstrated in front of the Calcutta National Medical College. They held up a token road block and announced that the day after will witness another road – block in some crucial area of the city.

RESUMPTION OF WORK

 

We are grateful that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has rightly intervened in this ongoing agitation, and directed the Government of India to explain the reasons for seeking these reservations. The court has also observed that the strike by doctors should be withdrawn in the interests of patient care. To honour the verdict of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and to show that we have full faith in our judiciary, we have decided to resume work.

We welcome this pro-active judgment by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and hope that a reasonable solution to the problem will be discovered eventually.

 

 

A LETTER FROM MR. RAJIV GANDHI

29th MAY - HUNGER STRIKE SHIFTED

The hunger strike has been shifted to Calcutta Medical College from Calcutta National Medical College.

OUR DEMANDS

1. Deferral of implementation of the bill under discussion in its present form.
2. Formation of authentic and independent commission to review the existing and on going reservation policy.
3. Implementation only after the commission submits its reports.
4. Implementation only after increase in seats ensuring that not a single seat is decreased for any class of students in the overall equation maintaining the status quo.
5. Increase in seats only after the setup of a credible infrastructure ensuring that quality of education is not compromised.
6. Commitment from the Government that no punitive action will be taken against any of the agitating members.
7. The Prime Minister should come out with a concrete opinion and commitments in writing.

- YOUTH FOR EQUALITY

27th MAY - COLLEGES & ORGANISATIONS PRESENT IN THE RALLY

In the mass rally today, students from the following colleges were present:

1. Calcutta Medical College
2. Calcutta National Medical College
3. R.G. Kar Medical College
4. Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College
5. Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research
6. Burdwan Medical College
7. North Bengal Medical College
8. Midnapore Medical College
9. Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College
10. Guru Nanak Institute of Dental Sciences and Research
11. Jadavpur University
12. Bengal Engineering College, Shibpur
13. Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
14. Indian Institute of Management, Joka (Calcutta)
15. Calcutta University
16. National Institute of Homeopathy
17. D.N. De Homeopathic College
18. Indian Institute of Hotel Management
19. National Institute of Technology, Durgapur
20. National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur
21. Indian Statistical Institute
22. Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
23. Indian Association for Cultivation of Sciences
24. Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute
25. Bose Institute
26. J.B. Roy Ayurvedic College
27. All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health
28. Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology
29. Heritage Institute of Technology
30. Guru Nanak Institute of Technology
31. Institute of Engineering and Management
32. Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Management
33. National Institute of Juridical Sciences
34. Jogesh Chandra Law College
35. St. Xavier’s College
36. Scottish Church College
37. Ashutosh College
38. Presidency College
39. Metropolitan Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital
    
40. University of Texas, Austin, USA

Organisations present in the rally:

1. Indian Medical Association - Calcutta Branch
2. Indian Medical Association – Dumdum Unit
3. Indian Medical Association – Budge Budge Youth Unit
4. All India Human Rights Society for Democratic Rights
5. Bowbazar Byabsayee Samity
6. Professionals from the IT Sector

We have tried our level best to include all the names. If we have missed the name of any college or organisation, we apologise for our error.

27th MAY - THE MASS RALLY

The mass rally organised by the West Bengal Chapter of Youth For Equality took place today afternoon in Kolkata (Calcutta). About 8000 protesters gathered at Calcutta Medical College. The protesters started arriving in groups from noon only. At 3 pm IST, the protesters started marching out onto College Street. They reached Chittaranjan Avenue via Mahatma Gandhi Road and marched towards Shaheed Minar blocking one side of the road. Chittaranjan Avenue is one of the busiest roads in the heart of the city and usually rallies and demonstrations are not permitted there. The deluge of protesters reached Shaheed Minar at about 5pm. Leaders of Youth For Equality and members of the Indian Medical Association addressed the gathering. The dignitaries gracing the occasion included

• Dr. Manish Pradhan, Indian Medical Association

• Dr. Arati Basu Sengupta, renowned gynaecologist

• Dr. Sunil Thakur, ex-Sheriff of Kolkata

• Mr. M. K. Singhania, Chairman, Federation of West Bengal Trade Association

A striking feature of the rally was that not only students but also their guardians were present to give support to the movement. The Government should note that it is not only the youth which is protesting but also the elderly who can draw on their vast experience to judge what is right and what is wrong for the progress of the nation.

Another unique feature was the recital of original poems composed by students to protest against reservation.

The protesters dispersed at about 6:30 pm IST proving to the government that their struggle for equality in their OWN country is far from over.

27th MAY - THANK YOU