Striking medicos seek Kalam's intervention in breaking impasse

New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Striking doctors and medical students today sought President A P J Abdul Kalam's intervention to break the deadlock over the OBC reservation issue, and urged him to convene a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh and them.

Emerging after a 45-minute meeting with the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a 12-member delegation of the striking medicos and AIIMS Faculty members said they wanted Dr Kalam to call the meeting to resolve the contentious issue.

''We appealed to the President to call the meeting. We want the meeting to happen in his presence so that all the aspects are taken care of,'' AIIMS RDA President and Youth for Equality leader Binod Patra said.

He said the delegation had also submitted memorandum to the President, demanding setting up of a non political judicial committee to review the existing reservation policy, white paper on reservation, exclusion of ''creamy layer from reservation and no action against the striking doctors and students.

Dr Patra said Dr Kalam gave them a patient hearing and assured them that the Government will simultaneously increase the number of seats in educational institutions under it, keeping in view the interests of all sections of the student community.

''He told us that an Oversight Committee will be constituted to draw up a time bound roadmap for implementing the decisions and that the Committee would submit a comprehensive report by August 31, 2006,'' Dr Patra said.

MORE UNI NR SB RK1708