Medicos reject Govt draft proposal; Strike to continue, intensify

New Delhi, May 28; In a blow to the Government's efforts to break the fortnight-long impasse on the contentious quota issue, striking medicos tonight rejected the draft proposal, saying it ''did not reflect anything concrete and was not satisfactory''.

The striking medicos have decided to continue the agitation.

The decision was taken at an emergency General Body Meeting (GBM) of the 'Youth for Equality', which is spearheading the agitation, after they received the draft proposal from Minister of State without Portfolio Oscar Fernandes this evening.

The GBM unanimously decided to continue and intensify the agitation as it was not satisfied with assurances.

''The Government has given the assurance to medical students only... our agitation is for the entire nation and not for the medical fratrenity. It is very dissatisfactory and has nothing concrete,'' Youth for Equality leader Amitasha Sinha told UNI.

The ''written assurance'' was sought on the official Government letterhead and should have been signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she added.

''Both the things are missing... we will not accept just a piece of unsigned paper,'' she said.

She said the major demand of setting up of a judicial review commission on the reservation policy was also not accepted.

Ms Sinha said the Government draft had made a ''passing reference'' about the increase of seats without giving specifics on how it will be accommodate in each institution. ''After we studied the draft, it is amply clear that the total number of seats will remain constant and the general category students will bear the brunt of it,'' she said.

Attacking the government, she said it was only indulging in vote bank politics and destroying the future of the generations to come.

''Since the government is not relenting... there is no question of us backing out now... The government has not shown flexibility... We want a signed written assurance,'' she added.

The striking medicos had 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,'' she said.

A string of meeting were held through the day to resolve the stalemate.

In the morning, talks between representatives of the striking students and doctors this morning held a marathon three-hour meeting with Minister of State without portfolio Oscar Fernandes, Union Health Secretary P K Hota and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair failed.

The students and doctors said the talks were ''disappointing'' as they failed to deliver the ''desired results''.

They had sought clarification on the assurances given by the Government.

Later in the evening, the Prime Minister held hour-long consultations with the same official team about the outcome of its meeting with the medicos.

Then, Mr Fernandes, in an follow-up meeting, gave the draft of the proposal, discussed with Dr Singh, to the medicos.

The unsigned draft proposal assured the striking medicos that the existing general seats in medical institutions will not be reduced while implementing the 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs.

The draft also carried an assurance on examining the major demand of the medicos for constituting a review commission on the quota policy and expanding the infrastructure in medical institutions.

It also carried an assurance on examining the major demand of the medicos for constituting a review commission on the quota policy and expanding the infrastructure in medical institutions.

The Government announced that it had already set up an Oversight Committee for recommendations on implementation of the reservation policy.

The Oversight Committee will be headed by Administrative Reforms Commission chairman Veerappa Moily to oversee the implementation.

''The Committee would make specific recommendations for expanding facilities and enhancing opportunities for higher education, including medical education,'' Mr Fernandes said.

He said an Expert Group comprising Directors, Deans and Principals of medical colleges would also give specific suggestions on expanding facilities in the medical institutions.

''Medical students are welcome to give their views and suggestion to the expert group,'' the minister said.

In a placatory gesture, Mr Fernandes announced that no action would be taken against the agitating students, interns and resident doctors.

UNI