No breakthrough on reservation impasse; Strike to continue

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) The stalemate over the contentious OBC reservation issue continued today, with the striking doctors and students turning down the government's assurance that general category seats in institutes of higher education will not be reduced and deciding to continue with the stir.

The students and doctors took the decision at an emergency meeting of the Executive Council of the 'Youth for Equality', spearheading the agitation, after talks with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

''We have decided to continue with the strike. We were not satisfied with the suggestions the Ministers came up with. There is no question of us backing out now,'' Youth for Equality leader Dr Neha Gami said.

''Nothing will deter us...Notices, police action or termination orders nothing at all,'' she added.

The executive unanimously decided to continue and intensify the agitation.

Over 180 students began an indefinite hunger strike at AIIMS on May 13, opposing the proposal. About 90 fasting students have been admitted to the AIIMS casualty due to dehydration and other complications.

JNU, IIT, Delhi University and Indra Prastha University students and lawyers also joined the agitation at AIIMS.

Medical services continued to be affected as the indefinite work boycott entered the fifth day today.

Though parallel OPD units were set up, services in Delhi's five premier government hospitals including AIIMS and LNJP, remained affected and patients had to suffer.

However, emergency and ICU departments functioned in all the hospitals.

Parallel OPD units were set up in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Safdarjang, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narain and Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals.

Resident and Junior doctors of Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Ram Manohar Lohia, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ihbas hospitals have also joined the striking students and doctors.

In an attempt to garner support from the Opposition to counter the Government's ''no reservation roll-back'' stand, the doctors and students met senior BJP leader L K Advani and submitted a memorandum.

They demanded a roll-back of the government's proposal of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions.

Resident and junior doctors of MCD-run hospitals also held a protest march here against the government's proposals.

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