PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Monday criticised the State government for not guaranteeing the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars within Most Backward Class quota this academic year in the engineering, arts and science student admissions in Tamil Nadu.
The law guaranteeing 10.5% internal reservations for Vanniyars within the MBC quota was passed by the previous AIADMK government in the State Assembly, the day Assembly elections were notified in February this year.
“In the notifications released by Directorate of Technical Education and Directorate of Collegiate Education, there is no information about internal reservation for Vanniyars in each reserved category. Even in the online application forms, there is no category for separate reservations for Vanniyars,” he said.
Wondering if it was happening with the knowledge of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, he said denying reservations to Vanniyars was against social justice.
Dr. Ramadoss said that the party organised protests over six phases because Vanniyars did not get adequate representations within the 20% MBC quota. “As a result, a law was passed in the State Assembly by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and it was signed by Tamil Nadu Governor and a Government Order was passed to guarantee 10.5% internal reservations for Vanniyars from February 26, 2021,” he recalled.
Not only that, the Backward and Most Backward classes welfare Department wrote a letter in March to all departments [regarding this). In the admissions to Ph.D courses in Law University, the reservations have been implemented. “How is it fair to deny reservations in engineering and arts and science college admissions?” he asked.
While governments and political scenarios in the State could change, Dr. Ramadoss said that the laws are permanent. “As per the Indian Constitution, the Chief Minister, other ministers and officials must implement the laws. It is their duty. Refusing to implement the law is insulting the Indian Constitution,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said that the Directorate of Technical Education and Collegiate Education must recall their notification and issue a new one that guarantees 10.5% reservations for Vanniyars.
