New Delhi, May 20: As medical students from as far as Mangalore joined a huge anti-reservation rally in Delhi and the hunger strike entered its seventh day, pro-quota doctors held their own demonstration at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

“Down with upper caste chauvinism,’’ chanted the protesters gathered under the banner of Medicos’ Forum for Equality.

The police kept the two opposed groups away from each other, barring the pro-reservation demonstrators from the AIIMS central lawns, the base of the anti-quota protesters.

“Everyone else can just walk in,’’ a pro-quota doctor complained. “In spite of being a resident in this hospital, I can’t.’’

One outsider who had walked in triggered a brief commotion by stripping himself and beginning to play his guitar near those on hunger strike. The lyrics spewed abuse at the media and said the students’ struggle was right but not their method. He was led away.

Pro-quota doctors alleged a colleague was beaten up at AIIMS by the rival group and that the police and hospital administration had failed to act on his complaint.

At Jantar Mantar, students from some 15 medical and engineering colleges from places like Mangalore, Vadodora, Patiala and Bikaner joined the Youth for Equality’s anti-reservation rally, the size of the turnout appearing to surprise even the organisers.

Motivation guru Shiv Khera and ex-cricketer and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu led the protesters to Jantar Mantar.

Protests continued across the country, with the IT hub of Bangalore witnessing two huge rallies, one in support of quotas and one against. The anti-reservation protesters organised a silent march but the other camp burnt the effigy of Infosys chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy for his anti-quota views.