Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Kathmandu on Saturday supporting Dr Govinda KC, the orthopaedic surgeon who has been staging a fast for the last seven days with four demands related to reforms in the medical education sector.

People, mostly youths, joined the rally at Maitighar Mandala before demonstrating all the way till New Baneshwor where police had set up barricades.

Placards carrying hashtags and slogans such as #IamwithDrKC and “end political meddling in education institutes” were displayed at the protest attended by students and professionals.

Jay Bhusan Jha, a higher secondary student at the nearby St Xavier’s College, said it was the responsibility of youths to support Dr KC.

“He has been fighting to ensure that we get proper medical education. If we remain quiet now, our generation will suffer in the future,” said Jha.

Badri Aryal, a fourth year medical student at the Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, said the government should immediately address all the demands of Dr KC.

“If they fail to do so immediately, all the youths will hit the streets and the government might be in trouble,” warned Aryal.

The event was initially coordinated by a group named Solidarity for Prof GKC Movement and was supported by Bibeksheel Nepali, a political party, and organisations.

Dr Jiwan Kshetry, a close aide to Dr KC, said at the rally that such voluntary outpouring of people to support the cause of Dr KC was encouraging. “We are at a crossroads—if we choose the traditional route, we will reach a point where education and health are commercialised and services compromised. But we have chosen the other path shown by Dr KC to fight against this system and change it for good,” said Dr Kshetry.

Dr KC began his eighth indefinite hunger strike on July 10 demanding reforms in medical education and impeachment of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority chief Lok Man Singh Karki on the charge of meddling in medical

education.

Meanwhile, physicians said Dr KC has fluctuations of heartbeat. Dr Dibya Singh, a nephrologist, said his condition was deteriorating. “He is getting too weak. Also, he is complaining of muscle cramp and chest pain,” said Dr Singh.