NEW DELHI, May 13: Medical services in the Indian capital were hit on Saturday when doctors at state-run hospitals staged a strike against plans to boost places reserved for the poor in education institutes.

Hundreds of junior doctors at five state-run hospitals in the city refused to report to work.

“If the government doesn’t look after us, who will?” a woman who could not get an appointment with a doctor told CNN-IBN news channel.

The doctors were striking to support medical students who have been protesting the proposed government move since last month.

On Friday, a student protest turned violent when police used water canons and teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters.

The Indian Medical Association, which called for the strike after Friday’s clashes between students and police, said it would intensify the protests.

Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh triggered the furore when he announced last month the government would increase places for medical, engineering and management studies for what India calls ‘economically and socially backward’ students to 50 per cent from the current 22.5 per cent.—AFP