EWS quota: AIADMK accuses DMK of seeking to conceal its stand

Breaking its silence on the larger issue of the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) of the general category, the AIADMK on Friday said the introduction of any quota should be done without affecting anyone.

On Thursday, The Hindu published a report, stating that the AIADMK, the principal Opposition party in Tamil Nadu, has been maintaining silence on this issue. The main Opposition party has now came down heavily on the ruling DMK for seeking to “dissemble” its stand on the matter. 

In a statement, D. Jayakumar, former Fisheries Minister and the party’s organisation secretary, contended that the 10% quota law was “based on the recommendation” of a commission, which was established in 2006 when the DMK shared power with the Congress at the Centre. The BJP only implemented it in 2019.

AIADMK unlikely to take part in all-party meet

The AIADMK’s criticism has led to doubts as to whether it would take part in a meeting of leaders of legislature parties to be held on Saturday, though the statement was silent as to whether the party would attend this meeting or not.

A veteran leader said that having made a “strong statement” against the ruling party’s decision to convene the meeting, it was “very unlikely” that his party would participate in the event. In the statement, Mr. Jayakumar found fault with the ruling party for not consulting other parties during the pendency of litigation in the Supreme Court regarding the EWS quota law. 

In this context, he recalled that when the 69% reservation system faced an obstacle in the early 1990s in the light of the Court’s judgement on the Mandal Commission, then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had led a delegation of leaders of various parties to New Delhi and explained to then Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao about the State’s stand on the matter. Later, the quota system was included in the Ninth Schedule. It was for this that DK leader, K. Veeramani, gave the title of “social justice custodian” to Jayalalithaa, the former Fisheries Minister recounted. 

On the AIADMK’s position that was still silent on the Supreme Court’s decision of upholding the validity of the law, Mr. Jayakumar said the introduction of any quota should be done, without affecting anyone.

‘DMK allies supporting EWS quota’

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should take steps for safeguarding the 69% reservation system, for which the party’s founder M.G. Ramachandran and his successor Jayalalithaa had obtained “legal protection for the poor.” He also observed that the ruling party’s allies, Congress and the CPI-M, were supporting the 10% quota law, after “realising the double dealing” of the Chief Minister. 

Accusing the DMK of deceit on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) issue, the former Fisheries Minister referred to how the ruling party had assured people at the time of the Assembly election that it would secure, at one stroke, exemption for candidates of the State from the NEET to get admission to UG courses in medicine.