New Delhi, May 22: The medicos’ hunger strike against the government proposals for OBC quotas in educational institutions entered its ninth day on Monday, but the protesting students scaled down their demands to resolve the impasse.
"We are now demanding that the proposal for OBC quotas should not be implemented unless the expert committee submits its review report on the existing reservation policy," said student leader Amitasha Sinha, whose ?youth for equality’ grouping had insisted on a complete withdrawal of the reservation proposals.
The striking medicos are also expected to meet Union health secretary P C Hota later in the day for a second meeting with him in as many days.
The protesting students have already turned down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s appeal to call off their strike, even as the Union Health Ministry gave resident doctors in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) 24 hours to vacate hostel rooms, if they are to continue with the strike.