PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss on Wednesday said the State government should not present “unfounded reasons” against the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars within the Most Backward Class quota, which was passed by the previous AIADMK government.
In a statement, he criticised the Minister for Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minority Welfare S.S. Shivashankar for stating that the 10.5% reservation could not be implemented as there were cases pending in the Madras High Court.
“Tamil Nadu does not have a Social Justice Department. The Minister for Backward Classes has a responsibility to safeguard social justice,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said that the 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars had been passed in the State Assembly in February and had received the assent of the Governor.
“The Governor’s consent was given to the Bill and a G.O. was published by the Higher Education Department on April 1. Other departments should have passed similar orders and 10.5% should have been implemented. It is the responsibility of the Backward Classes Minister to ensure social justice,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said while reservation had been implemented in education, it had not been done for government jobs.
“In the circular that announced that 555 persons will be appointed as homeopath doctors, doctor assistants in PHCs temporarily by the Health Ministry, it has been said that the previous reservation policy will be followed. Similarly, for appointments to several posts in the Madras High Court, it has been said that the 10.5% reservation will be implemented once the pending cases are concluded. Both these decisions are wrong,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said that the responsibility of implementing the 10.5% reservation falls on the Minister for Backward Classes.
“However, the Minister is justifying the decision by pointing to the cases that are pending. I wonder if this is his position on the matter or if this is the government's decision. The Chief Minister should clarify,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss pointed out that similar cases against 69% reservation were pending in Supreme Court.
“Yet, the reservation has been implemented for 27 years. Cases against reservation for Muslims and Arundhathiyars are pending in court. The reason why reservation has not been affected in these cases is because there is no stay on them. A case against 10% reservation for EWS is pending in the Supreme Court for two-and-a-half years,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said the State government must guarantee the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars within the Most Backward Class quota and must enlist senior lawyers to look into the case.