It is in the expected lines. Dravidian model stock M K Stalin- led government, theself-proclaimed saviors of Tamils and champions of social justice, has decided not to implement the EWS quota in the state and will challenge the Supreme Court verdict.it has dealt a blow to Dravidian parties and their local allies in Tamil Nadu.
Soon after the apex court upheld the quota in a 3:2 verdict, Chief Minister MK Stalin convened an all-Legislative party meeting at the secretariat on 12th. The meeting, boycotted by principal opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP, urged the State government to register its opinions when a review petition is filed.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin has rejected the 103rd Constitutional amendment providing 10 per cent EWS quota by the Centre as it is against social justice, contradicting several Supreme Court verdicts and is dividing the poor in the name of caste. It said the order was a setback to the century-long struggle for social justice.it said DMK government would only implement the 69 per cvent reservation and not the 10 percent reservation.
Resolution passed at the end of the meet, said the EWS reservation is against “social justice and equality and contrary to social justice policy. To unanimously support the future course of action to protect social justice”.It also urged the state government to place strong arguments about social justice and equality when the review petition against the verdict is heard by the top court.
The ruling DMK had announced it would file a review petition against the November 8 five-judge Supreme Court Bench upholding the 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS). The quota was upheld 3-2 by the Bench.
CM Stalin said ”they would remove the reference ‘socially and educationally backward and add ‘ economically’ in everything. That is why we strongly opposed the amendment in the parliament”. Reminding SC’s observation that reservation was not a poverty alleviation scheme and in 1992 a nine-member constitutional bench ruled that the reservation based on economic considerations was invalid”. He said that those who once said reservation led to loss of skills and qualification were now backing the EWS reservation. He also questioned the criteria for EWS reservation. “They are saying that those earning less than Rs8 lakh are eligible. Are those earning Rs. 66, 660- a month poor?. The CM and his allies failed to understand that only those benefited are enjoying the same again and again generation after generations.
Karunanidhis, PMK Ramadoss, Lalu Prasad and MulyamsinghYadavas, Mayawathis and others who are now billionaires but wants to enjoy MBCreservation at the cost of their caste people who remain as poor. Many of the DMK Ministers and senior leaders themselves belong to the communities that will benefit out of EWS – PTR PalanivelThiagarajan (Thondai Mandala Vellalar), KN Nehru (Reddiyar), KKSSR Ramachandran (Reddiyar), P. Sekarbabu (Kammavar), RS Bharathi (Mudaliar) to name a few. They are not happy with the party’s decision. TN Congress has decided to back the resolution but the people in Delhi took a different stand.
They failed to note that the bench was unanimous in holding reservation was a time bound plan as envisioned by the founding fathers of the Constitution. It is a short-term panacea like an emergency surgery. Now it has become a powerful tools in the hands of politicians to further their interests and win elections throwing this carrot. Still there are people who do not know that reservation in education and jobs are available to uplift them economically. With this reason Creamy layer was brought in and Rs. 12 lakh annual income was fixed as eligibility criteria. MK Stalin did not touch this knowing fully aware of the worse implications.
Former Chief Minister MGR himself had to give up his idea of reservation based on economic criteria after he suffered a crushing defeat in the 1980 LokSabha elections.
The DMK has been trying to projects that Brahmins are the only community that is going to benefit under the ten percent EWS quota. In fact, it will benefit around 79 castes in Tamil Nadu, including a section of Christians and Muslims,ArcotMudaliar, VellalaMudaliar, Sivachariyar, Odhuvar, Chettiyar, Vellalars, Balija Naidu, Reddiyar, AdiSaiva, VeeraSaiva, Anglo Indians, 6 Christian communities Roman Catholic Christians, Upper Caste Christian Converts, and around 10 Muslims communities like Dawood, Mir, Lebbai, Rawther, etc. DMK wants to isolate them forgetting that they are its main vote bank.
There is no second opinion that reservation is absolutely necessary for the underprivileged communities who for generations did not have access to education and employment opportunities.At the same time, it is vital that financial incapacity does not hamper the prospects of meritorious candidates. Merit should not be casualty. The rich and influential politicians take treatments only at the expensive private hospitals and go abroad. Not only medicine, law, engineering, art and science the quality and merit are the victims. Promotion in government jobs and reservation led to demoralizing effects on the minds of meritorious ones.
Critics of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota say that reservation is not a poverty alleviation programme but a constitutional tool to provide representation to the historically disadvantaged communities. But reservation shouldn’t be seen just as a tool of representation.Reservation is affirmative action which means that the state is obliged to support any person who is disadvantaged – socially, educationally, or economically.For the historically socially and educationally backward classes, there is a provision of reservation that will allow them to climb up the socio-economic ladder.However, the economically backward unrepresented communities have hitherto had no provision to get state support. So it will be a boon to the financially disadvantaged sections. So DMK and its allies stop projecting it only for the Brahmins. It is a fact that Brahmins who never depend on quotas and special tools to uplift them.
TN BJP Chief K Annamalai said the all-party meet was a drama enacted by DMK. He accused the Congress and Communist parties of taking different stands at the national and the state level on the issue of EWS reservation. He said it was during the UPA regime in which DMK was part of it, prepared a bill for implementing the same, following the report submitted by the Sinho Commission.
DMK which says that it follows the footsteps of EV Ramasamynaicker to bring in caste less society, wants caste based reservation for its survival. Constitution underlies creation of a casteless and equal society. So taking steps to achieve this goals is important instead of adding more and more castes in the reservation bracket. DMK should remember that its vote bank is not only confined to BC, MBC and others but also those who are in the EWS sections. They are the unequal among the equals. They should be taken care while attaching importance to merit which is a sin quo non for betterment and for all round development. DMK and its allies which has been championing for a casteless society, during the elections candidates are chosen on the basis of the caste, religion. It is the process most of the political parties adopt. The DMK, and its allies including congress party decision to oppose and file review petition would boomerang in the days to come. It will have a strong repercussions in their political fortunes. Wiser counsel is needed. Will the CM Stalin takes note of it?
-T S Venkatesan
venkateshts02@gmail.com