The anti-reservation movement at AIIMS began with three AIIMS senior residents, who sat on a dharna at lunchtime every day. One of them was Dr Anil Sharma.
"Then we were 7, 11 and counting. I remember, it started on May 13," says Anil.
They would assemble every day under a tree opposite the library. Slowly, others joined them and in a month's time, there were around 80 students who would finish their lunch quickly and join the gathering.
"Many laughed at us saying Yeh kya sarkar ko badlengey? We did not want to become big netas, no -- it was a time, it was an issue and we will continue to fight for it. In the larger interest of the country somebody has to come forward. Why do we think that a Bhagat Singh should be born in our neighbour's family and not in ours?" asks Anil.
The son of a professor of genetics, Anil says his grandfather was poor and died very young. His grandmother cut grass and educated Anil's father, who used to study under a lamp post at night.
"My father did not have any reservation. When the Constitution of India, the State of India doesn't give me any advantage of being born in a so-called forward caste, why should I be disadvantaged?" continues Anil. "We are not against reservation but it should be for the needy, not the greedy. What is happening in society is not the responsibility of the Constitution. The Constitution has to be applied equally to all."
Image: Anil Sharma, a senior resident and president of the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association, was one of the first doctors to participate in the anti-reservation protest.
Photograph: Seema Pant
Also see: At Ground Zero of the quota protests.
Advertisement
