Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on July 9 told the Assembly that the government would accept the opinion of the legal experts on the implementation of 10% reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) if it did not undermine the existing reservation policy for SCs/STs.
Responding to DMK deputy leader in the House Duraimurugan, Mr. Panneerselvam, who chaired an all-party meeting on the issue a day earlier, said the government had decided to consider the Centre’s proposal since it would lead to Tamil Nadu getting 1,000 more MBBS seats.
He said it was late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who increased the reservation to 69% by making an amendment in the Constitution and she could be described the “zenith of the evolution of the Dravidian Movement.” “Today except for Tamil Nadu, no other State is able to implement 69% reservation,” he said.
When Mr. Duraimurugan wanted to know the reason behind inviting so many political parties for the meeting and leaving out parties such as India Jananayaka Katchi and Kongunaud Makkal Katchi, that had a representation in Parliament, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, that had members in the Assembly in the past, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said they were invited at the suggestion of DMK leader M.K. Stalin.
Mr. Panneerselvam said though the Dravida Kazhagam was a non-political outfit that would not participate in elections, its president K. Veeramani placed very good suggestions, including the order of the Constitutional Bench headed by Justice Ratnavel Pandian. “In the future, we will invite other parties,” he said.
Mr. Palaniswami said there were about 80 political parties and if all of them were invited it would take a lot of time and would also dilute the ideas.