Contrary to the DMK’s stance, its alliance partners Congress and CPI (M) supported the Modi government’s 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS).
After the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in education and employment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called an all-legislative party meeting for Saturday to discuss the next course of action.
On Tuesday, the DMK announced that it would file a review petition against the Supreme Court ruling on the 10% EWS reservation. In a statement, DMK General Secretary Durai Murugan quoted one of the judges, Justice S Ravindra Bhat, as saying that the Constitutional Amendment weakened social justice and thus destroyed the basic structure of the Constitution. The VCK has already stated that it will appeal the verdict.
Notably, the verdict was welcomed by Congress and the CPM, two DMK allies. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president KS Alagiri went on to say that reservation for EWS in ‘forward castes’ was initiated by the former UPA government at the Centre.
In an apparent dig at its ally, the TNCC president stated, “no one side can lay claim to any exclusive right to social justice, and those opposing the 10% reservation could not be its champions.”
CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan stated that the party welcomes the Supreme Court decision while demanding that the income ceiling set to qualify for the benefit be reduced and that the party voted in favor of the bill even when it was presented in parliament.
He also stated that the party has been requesting for many years, since 1990, that an amendment be passed to provide a certain percentage of the reservation to the economically weaker sections.
He added,”Being in a coalition does not imply that all parties must act in the same manner. Each party has its own set of ideologies. We disagree with VCK on certain issues, and they disagree with us on others. We have already implemented this EWS reservation in Kerala.”
(with inputs from Dinasuvadu)
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