The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will fight for separate reservation for members of the Vanniyar community from the quota allocated to the most backward community, said S. Ramadoss, party founder.
Speaking at a book release function organised on Sunday by the Vanniyar Sangam, Dr. Ramadoss said the community continued to suffer from educational and economic backwardness. Caste was a social and political reality. Only dominant classes which did not want the depressed sections to benefit from social welfare measures adopted an anti-caste rhetoric, he said.
The Vanniyar Sangam had fought for the community to obtain the Most Backward Class status but data showed that of the 20 per cent medical seats reserved for the MBCs, Vanniyars had got only around 9.5 per cent though they formed a much larger population than other communities, he said.
Similar data had been obtained in other educational and employment activities, he said and called for a caste-wise census to determine the backwardness of each community.
He also asked the government to provide internal reservation to Vanniyars as it had done for Arunthathiyars and Muslims in the quotas for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.
M. Krishnassamy, former president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, said this petition could be brought to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
He expressed confidence that Mr. Karunanidhi would consider it favourably.
Former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said government data showed that more than 13 per cent of all hut-dwellers lived in Villupuram district, which had a large Vanniyar population. “It is first in liquor sales but last in education even though it has the Higher Education Minister. It is also the first in number of people living in huts,” he said.
When there was a disruption due to an inebriated member in the audience, Dr. Anbumani remarked “ Ayya padikka sollararu, arasangam kudikka solludhu. ” [Dr. Ramadoss is asking us to read, the government is asking us to drink].
Referring to attacks on his work and on the party as being casteist, he said the PMK had always worked for all sections of society. “I brought in the 108 ambulance service not just in Tamil Nadu but in other States as well. I brought grants worth Rs. 100 crore for the maternity hospital in Chennai, though not a brick has been laid for it yet. … Dr. Ramadoss has announced that if the PMK comes to power, a Dalit will become the Chief Minister, no Dravidian party can say that,” he said. PMK president G.K. Mani said a massive protest would be organised on July 28 to demand internal reservation. The issue would also be brought up at the women's conference on July 18, he added.
Dr. Ramadoss presented a shawl and a cash award to Natana. Kasinathan, former director, Archaeological department, who along with an eight-member team, brought out the second volume of the “Vanniyar Varalaru” as two books. J. Guru, president, Vanniyar Sangam, presided over the function.
