The fast-unto-death protest by the junior doctors for their demands after the rape and murder of a fellow medico at the State-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital here, marks its 17th day on Monday.

A crucial meeting of the protesters’ delegation with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to take place at the State Secretariat Nabanna later in the day.

Although the State government had earlier said that the withdrawal of the hunger strike would be the precondition for attending the meeting, West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), the umbrella body spearheading the movement on this issue, clearly said that they are not accepting this precondition and their delegation will be attending the meeting without the hunger strike being withdrawn.