The principal of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital said on Saturday that he had spoken with senior officials at Nabanna and requested them to take a decision on whether the students’ union election can be held soon.
Principal Indranil Biswas said that the health parameters of some of the students on a hunger strike demanding students’ union elections had worsened.
“We have senior doctors. We will take care of the students’ health. But they (officials at Nabanna) have to decide on the issue of the election. The hunger strike would not have started if the election was held on time,” Biswas said on Saturday.
He said he had requested the students to have some fruit juice at least, considering their worsening health, but the students declined.
The hunger strike by five students of the medical college had crossed 60 hours and was still on by late on Saturday.
The students are demanding that the union election is held on December 22, a date that was announced earlier by the college authorities. The authorities later informed the students that the election cannot be held then.
The students had gheraoed the principal, senior officials of the college administration and several senior doctors of the hospital between Monday afternoon and early on Wednesday.
After lifting the gherao, the students started a hunger strike at 10am on Thursday.
On Saturday, several students assembled at the site of the hunger strike to show their support. They chanted slogans demanding elections.
A chart with the health parameters of the students on hunger strike has been put up.
Biswas said the students must be admitted to the hospital if their health condition demands. But one of the students said they will not get admitted to the hospital.
Senior officials of the state health department went to the college on Saturday evening.
“The officials asked us to come for a discussion but we have declined their proposal,” said a protesting student.
