Chennai: Allaying the apprehensions on the reservation policy, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday assured the Assembly that the state’s 69 per cent quota policy will continue. However, the government will go by consensus on the Centre’s proposal for 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) in medical education.
Responding to a special attention motion raised by DMK president M. K. Stalin, the CM said the government would decide on the 10 per cent reservation for EWS among the upper caste only after arriving at a consensus. “A meeting of recognised political parties would be convened to discuss the content of the Centre’s letter on the subject before arriving at a decision. Also, opinion of legal experts will be obtained,” Palaniswami told the Assembly.
Raising the issue, Stalin said the reservation for economic backward among the forward caste is against the principle of social justice. He claimed the Centre wanted to implement the 10 per cent quota by offering 25 per cent more seats for MBBS.
“This is meant to persuade the states to implement its reservation policy.This is like slow poison. Your leader (former CM J. Jayalalithaa) has been hailed as ‘Samooga Needhi Kattha Veeraanganai’ (the heroic protector of social justice). What is the government’s stand on the quota for economic backward in upper caste?” Stalin asked while registering his party’s protest.
Pointing out that Jayalalithaa ensured legal sanctity to the 69 per cent reservation that she had brought, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said the case pertaining to the EWS was before the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court. “We will also seek the opinion of the advocate general besides senior counsel on the letter written to states by the Centre on this subject. We will all ensure that the 69 per cent reservation does not get reduced to even by 0.1 per cent,” he said.
Congress MLA J. G. Prince said the move by the Centre is against the rights of the states.
In his reply, health minister Dr C. Vijayabhaskar said Tamil Nadu would get an addition of 586 MBBS seats if the scheme is implemented. Tamil Nadu, he said will not compromise on the existing 69 per cent reservation system in the State. “Except Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, all other States have accepted the quota. The Medical Council of India (MCI) in its letter stated that if states implemented the 10 per cent quota, they would be offered 25 per cent increase in medical seats. Also, the states need not increase the infrastructure,” he said and added that though States were asked to respond to the offer before June 28, TN had not replied.
When DMK member K. Ponmudi remarked that the government appears to have accepted the reservation policy, Palaniswami refuted the charge and said the health minister had (earlier) explained the Centre's communication and this did not mean that TN government supported or opposed it. Of the total 1,000 seats allotted to the state, 150 will be earmarked for all-India quota, while from the remaining 850 seats 264 will be allotted for open competition. Remaining 586 seats will be filled by 69 per cent reservation, he explained.
