Striking Med students meet Advani; Submit memorandum

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) A delegation of striking resident and junior doctors and medical students today called on Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and submitted a memorandum, demanding a roll-back of the government' s proposal of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions.

''Mr Advani gave us patient hearing and assured us that he will look into the issues raised by us,'' Youth for Equality spokesperson and student leader Sasmit Sarangi told UNI after the hour-long meeting.

He said during the meeting, held at Mr Advani's residence, the representatives apprised the BJP leader about their stand on the reservation issue.

''We are against caste-based reservation and not against any section of the society,'' he added.

The striking students and doctors have been demanding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sets up a non-political judicial committee to review the existing reservation policy.

''We want the Prime Minister or the Government to come out with a concrete response on the reservation issue. The advantages, merits, drawbacks and loopholes of the policy and proposals must be brought out for all to know what is going on,'' he added.

Yesterday Minister of state without portfolio Oscar Fernandes visited the striking doctors and students at AIIMS.

He later held an informal meeting with a seven-member delegation of 'Youth for Equality' at Shram Shakti Bhawan.

About 100 students are on an indefinite hunger strike since May 13 against the government's proposal.

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