Medicos reject PMs assurance; Strike to continue, intensify

New Delhi, May 26 (UNI) Rejecting yet another assurance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that concerns of all categories of students will be addressed, striking medicos today said they will continue with the agitation till they receive a ''written assurance'' from the Govermment on the issues raised by them.

The students and doctors took the decision at an emergency meeting of General Body Meeting (GBM)of the 'Youth for Equality', which is spearheading the agitation, after their first meeting with the Prime Minister.

They unanimously decided to continue and intensify the agitation as it was not satisfied with the Prime Minister's assurances.

''The Prime Minister has to come out in the open with his assurances. He has to tell the nation what is going on He has to give in writing...,'' Youth for Equality leader Dr Anirudh Lochan said.

''We have decided to continue with the strike. We are not satisfied with the assurances of the Prime Ministers. Since the government is not relenting... there is no question of us backing out now,'' he added.

He said nothing concrete came out of the meeting with the Prime Minister.

''Dr Singh neither gave us a written assurance on increase of seats nor appointment of the judicial review commission,'' he said.

''The government has not shown flexibility... We want a written assurance,'' he added.

Dr Lochan said the Prime Ministers had asked them to call off the agitation, while assuring then that the reservation roadmap of the UPA-Coordination Committee addressed the concerns of all the sections of students.

''Dr Singh told us there was no need to worry about shrinking educational opportunities,'' he added.

The striking medicos submitted a charter of demands to the Prime Minister which comprised setting up of a non political judicial committee to review the existing reservation policy, white paper on reservation, exclusion of ''OBC creamy layer from reservation'', quota for economically backward and no action against the striking doctors and students.

''We want that drawbacks, loopholes, merit and advantages of the policy to be revised and the system to change,'' he said.

He expressed hope that the Government would soften its stand on the vexed issue and reconsider their demand to break the impasse.

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