Thursday, May 18 2006 13:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The stalemate over the quota issue continued today (May 18, 2006) with resident doctors at the AIIMS beginning a one-day hunger strike to express solidarity with protesting medical students already fasting indefinitely in the national capital.

"Resident doctors are begining a one-day hunger strike in support of students who are already on an indefinite hunger strike", Vice-President of the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) Dr. Subrato Mandal said.

He said the decision was taken at a General Body meeting last night.

"Private doctors are also joining us here for a relay hunger strike," he said.

The RDA said non-medicos from JNU and DU have also extended support to their agitation and were joining them at the institute.

The Government has meanwhile issued notices to striking medicos and have claimed that several of the doctors have resumed duties.

The resident doctors met Union Defence Minister PranabMukerjee yesterday and presented their charter of demands. Theminister assured them that the government would meet themagain on the issue.

"We are trying to fix an appointment (with Mukherjee) today," Mandal said. Doctors of Safdarjung Hospital said they expected to be served notices today and would act accordingly after receiving the same.

Dr. N K Chaturvedi, Medical Superintendent of RMLhospital said "Health services are running fine, OPDs functioning and operations are going on," in his hospital adding, "CGHS doctors and two railway doctors have also been roped in to help the hospital."