Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on August 5 accused the DMK government of releasing “incorrect and selective” data regarding the representation of Vanniyars in education and jobs. He demanded the government release a White Paper regarding the representation of all communities within the Most Backward Classes category, which has around 115 communities including the Vanniyars, in education and jobs since the creation of the Most Backward Classes category in 1989.
Addressing journalists at his residence in T. Nagar, Dr. Anbumani claimed the data made available by the State Government officials to certain reporters was incomplete as it doesn’t reveal the number of persons from Vanniyar community directly recruited as Tamil Nadu Civil Service Group I officers.
“In the years 2013, 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2024, the number of Vanniyars recruited as Group I officers are 7 (out of 16 posts in MBC), 7 (out of 17 posts), 16 (out of 36 MBC posts), 3 (out of 10 MBC posts) and 5 (out of 19 MBC posts) respectively. So, the number of Vanniyars recruited in these years through the MBC quota is 8.8%, 9.4%, 8.8%, 4.5% and 5.2% respectively. Out of a total of 495 posts (in the 5 years), only 98 candidates from MBC communities were recruited and out of them, only 38 are Vanniyars. While only 7.7% of Vanniyars were recruited from MBC on average, non-Vanniyar communities were recruited at 12.2% on average,” he said based on the data sourced by the PMK.
Dr. Anbumani further asked why the other communities within MBC should have a problem with 10.5% reservations for Vanniyars if the RTI data that Vanniyars represented much more than 10.50% was authentic.
“Within the MBC fold, there are around 115 communities. 114 communities including the Denotified Communities, excluding the Vanniyar community, account for 6.7% of the total population of Tamil Nadu. Vanniyar community account for 14.1% of the total population of Tamil Nadu. This data is based on Ambashankar Commission. We have been seeking the data about representation of individual MBC communities in education and jobs in the last 35 years from the State Government. But, the State Government has been denying the data to us. But, now, the State Government has given this selective data stating that this is RTI data,” he said.
Dr. Anbumani charged the State Government has released this data to create a perception that Vanniyars are already getting more than 10.50% within the MBC fold for political reasons.
“Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is going against social justice for cheap political gains. We asked for Group I, Group II, Group III and Group IV data. The State Government has never given Group I and Group II data. They have given Group IV data – that Vanniyars are represented more than 12% as constables. Even this data, they have given only for the last 5 years or 10 years. We are asking for data for the last two decades or three decades. Around thirty communities have not received any jobs. Only a specific community has been cornering all the seats and jobs within MBC fold,” he said.
In Tamil Nadu, there are 16 DGP rank officers, 23 ADGP rank officers, 41 IG rank officers, 21 DIG with a total of 109 top police officials.
“There is only one Vanniyar among 109 top police officers. There is one IG. Is this social justice? In Tamil Nadu, there are 53 departments, in which there are 123 secretary level posts. There is only one secretary who is a Vanniyar. Even that secretary has come through promotion. If reservations were ensured as per rules for the 35 years, at least 10-15 secretaries should have been Vanniyars. We want a white paper on MBC reservation in 1989 on education and jobs,” he said.
Qualifying the RTI Act data recently published in sections of the media regarding the number of Vanniyars as deputy collectors, Dr. Anbumani said while it was true that there are 63 deputy collectors out of a total of 530, he added that only 23 of them were recruited directly. “The other 40 Deputy Collectors came through promotions. After 76 years of independence, only one Vanniyar candidate has managed to become an IAS office through direct recruitment,” he said.
Dr. Anbumani appealed to Mr. Stalin to “stop spreading false propaganda” and goaded him to “learn from Kalaignar” (former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi).
Published - August 05, 2024 04:51 pm IST
