OBC reservation deadlock continues; Strike enters day 9

New Delhi, May 22: As the deadlock over the controversial OBC reservation protracts, the striking doctors and medical students today again asserted that the agitation will not be withdrawn, as the Government was adopting a rigid stance on the issue.

''The Government has taken a very rigid stance on the issue.

It is not coming out with any new proposals for us to consider...

We are ready to come half way provided the other side also does the same,'' Dr Anirudh Lochan, a spokesman for 'Youth for Equality', which is spearheading the agitation, told UNI.

''The stalemate is totally the Government's responsibility.

Our stand is clear... the ball is in its court now,'' he added.

Union Health Secretary P K Hota's talks with the striking medicos today remained inconclusive.

Mr Hota held a marathon meeting of over six-hours with the representatives of the students and doctors at AIIMS.

The students and doctors said they were not offered any proposal on the issue.

''We were not offered anything new ... the Government is toeing the same old line,'' he added Since more than 130 of the fasting 180 medical students had had taken ill more students joined in today.

As many as 125 students are now on an indefinite hunger strike at AIIMS.

Medical services in Delhi's premier institutions continued to be paralysed as the strike entered its ninth day today.

The students and doctors, who have already held two rounds of talks with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee headed Group of Ministers, turned down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal to call off the stir.

The doctors were served termination notice and eviction notice to vacate the AIIMS hostel.

Dr Lochan said the government was adopting ''twin tactics'' to pressurise the students and doctors.

''On the one hand they are negotiating with us but at the same time they are using such tactics to weaken us.... Such things will not work on us,'' he added.

''Notices will not work on us.... they will not deter us,'' Dr Lochan said.

The striking doctors and students have been demanding complete roll-back of the Government's proposal of 27 per cent reservation for OBC in higher educational institutions besides setting up of a non-political judicial committee to review the existing reservation policy.

Dr Lochan said the students and doctors were open for negotiations.

''We understand the Government has political compulsions...

but turning a blind eye towards us will not resolve anything,'' he added.

Additional deployment of police and Rapid Action Force has been done in and around AIIMS where the medical students started the indefinite hunger strike on May 13.

The Prime Minister's appeal was of little value since it ''makes no mention of our demands'', he said.

On May 17, Dr Singh constituted a four-member ministerial team, comprising HRD Minister Arjun Singh, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Law Minister H R Bharadwaj and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, to finalise steps for ensuring OBC quota in educational institutions.

UNI

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