Tamil Nadu - Salem   

‘Do not fall prey to caste feelings’

SALEM: Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam has urged the people not to fall prey to the attempts of a few to instigate ‘caste feelings’ for gain.

At a function at which he distributed colour television sets to beneficiaries and gave away welfare assistance to people in villages in Mecheri union near here on Saturday, the Minister said that the instigation of caste feelings would affect poor and innocent people only.

“Demands and requests should be made in a proper manner. It should not be forced on any elected government. Such attempts will only lead to catastrophe,” he said while making a veiled reference to the PMK leader Dr. S Ramadoss’ demand for a caste-based census.

He asked the people’s representatives of all parties to participate in government functions.

“While the government schemes are disbursed, people should not attach party affiliations. Otherwise it will spoil such schemes for the poor,” he said.

Under the Constitution, reservation in education and employment for socially disadvantaged groups had been brought about.

Based on the Sattanathan Committee recommendations, the then Tamil Nadu Government had increased the quota of 18 per cent for Adi Dravidars, one per cent for tribals and 30 per cent for backward class.

During 1989, the most backward class got 20 per cent while backward class got 30 per cent.

“It was Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi who insisted on reservation in the institutions of higher learning such as IITs and IIMs,” he pointed out.

He said that the district administration was preparing a report on whether all villages and hamlets in the district were receiving protected water supply.

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