New Delhi, May 16
Determined to carry on their indefinite hunger strike till the government announces a rollback of the proposed quotas for OBCs, medical students in the Capital have now put forth a demand for setting up of a commission to study the reservation policy.

Claiming that they have “no faith in Arjun Singh”, these students under the banner of the Youth for Equality said they wanted the Prime Minister to break his silence and meet them for discussion. They also assured that they would call off the strike, “as soon as the government accepts our demands”.

“We want an independent commission, preferably a judicial commission to study the reservation policy and while that is being done, the proposed reservation should be recalled,” said Sasmit Sarangi of the Youth for Equality.

Pointing out that the students are disturbed by the fact that the Prime Minister is yet to agree to their demand for a meeting, Sarangi said, “we have requested the Prime Minister for a meeting, today also we faxed him a request, but there has been no reply so far. We want the PM to clarify his stand on the issue”.

The students’ representative added that the possibility of the issue being referred to a Group of Ministers was also not welcome. “We cannot trust the ministers, because we cannot be sure on whose side they will be. They could be inclined to give more than 27 per cent reservation. Which is why we are insisting on an independent commission,” said Sarangi.

The agitating students are also contemplating meeting Members of Parliament, among others, to garner support, “we are keen to meet Rahul Gandhi. We were told that he had shown interest in meeting us, but we haven’t heard anything from him yet,” pointed out Sarangi.

And as medical students continued to strike work, health services in the city’s hospitals took a drubbing. While some patients chose to return others kept waiting in the hallways.