Monday, May 15 2006 17:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Striking medical students today (May 15, 2006) rejected HRD Minister Arjun Singh's invitation for talks on reservation, saying they have lost 'faith' in him and now want to meet the Prime Minister to resolve the issue.

"He (Singh) had assured us that he would hold talks with us before referring the Bill on reservation to the Union Cabinet. But he did not do that and we now have no faith in him," Safal, a representative of the Youth for Equality, said here.

The students, who began an indefinite hunger strike here yesterday, said they want to talk only to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue, which has brought them on a collision course with the Government.

Their strident posture comes in the wake of Singh's statement that he was ready to hold talks with the students protesting against the proposed reservations for OBCs in elite educational institutions, if they are willing to come forward for discussions.

The Human Resources Minister had earlier told the students that he personally had no problems discussing the issue with them before the Bill was taken up by Parliament, but he would consult the Prime Minister before holding any such meeting with them.