Wait: Arjun Singh to medicos

Student of five medical colleges in Delhi called off their agitation against OBC reservation in higher education institutions on Thursday after meeting HRD Minister.

Student of five medical colleges in Delhi called off their agitation against OBC reservation in higher education institutions on Thursday after meeting HRD Minister Arjun Singh. The students asked the minister to roll back the proposal to reserve 27 per cent seats for OBCs in higher education institutes. Singh, who aplogised for the lathicharge on protesting students on Wednesday, said he could take up the issue only after the assembly polls were over.

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Earlier, Singh had issued a statement, saying, "I was pained by the news that a number of students of the medical colleges wanted to meet me and were not allowed." He added, "Unfortunately, because of the directions of the Election Commission, I am not in a position to interact with them and I have to maintain silence till the elections are over."

Following the meeting, the students decided to suspend strike till May 12, when the results of assembly polls would be out. "We have not called off the strike," said student representative Sujit Shukla. "We are putting it on hold till May 12 and we hope the minister will meet us as per the assurance to us."

Singh, however, was silent on Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal's statement against quotas in higher education institutions.