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Docs' strike continues as talks fail
With fresh talks ending without result, the issue was discussed at the highest level as Manmohan met Prez Kalam.
The government on Monday failed to persuade medicos to end their strike against quotas in central educational institutions.
The Govt was embarrassed when two members of the National Knowledge Commission set up to advice Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resigned over the issue.
With a fresh round of talks between the medicos and the Centre on Monday ending without result, the issue was discussed at the highest level as Prime Minister met President APJ Abdul Kalam.
Singh later made a fresh appeal to the striking medicos to withdraw their agitation and asked them to have faith in his government, saying the "legitimate interest" of all sections would be taken care of.
He also held talks with CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat who suggested exclusion of the "creamy layer" among SCs/STs and OBCs, benefits to the needy among other categories and demanded a public debate before a decision was taken on implementation of OBC reservations.
The hunger strike by medicos of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences entered the ninth day and AIIMS Residents Doctor's Association urged people to observe a "10-minute dark period from 8:00 pm to 8:10 pm against the darkness prevailing in the country".
Junior doctors of Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Insitute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow continued their strike in defiance of the Essental Services Maintenance Act invoked by the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday.
