Guardians of fasting students threaten to join 7-day-old stir

Guardians of the six fasting senior students of state-run Calcutta Medical College and Hospital expressed support to their wards' stir and threatened to join the hunger strike which entered seventh day today.

The students of second, third and fourth year were on hunger strike to press for their demand for accommodation in a new hostel which is allotted only for first year students.

"The old hostel building of the senior students is in poor shape. We are on the side of our children in this agitation," one of the guardians told reporters in the hospital compound today.

"If their demand was not looked into by tomorrow, we will join the hunger strike," he said.

The guardians said a deputation will be submitted to the college Principal Uchhal Bhadra on behalf of the guardians urging for immediate steps to solve the impasse.

The principal earlier said as per guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI), freshers and seniors cannot be accommodated in the same hostel building to prevent incidents of ragging.

Appealing to the students to withdraw the fast, Bhadra yesterday told reporters that the old hostel building would be renovated very soon and those senior students, who are facing accommodation problem, can be put up there.

"With the admission process to the first year going on, I urge the students not to continue the fast." he had said.

The students, however, said the fast will continue till the administration opens the new hostel building for both senior and freshers.

One of the fasting students said, "Six of us are now on fast. If anyone has to be hospitalised, his/her place will be taken up by another student."