PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday said that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has not "responded properly" to the party's demand that Vanniyars should be given separate reservation in Tamil Nadu.
In his speech during the release of the book, ‘Sukka Milaga…Samooga Needhi’, via videoconferencing, Dr Ramadoss asked how long can PMK keep making the same demand again and again.
“The people have to effect a change. Only if they have a change in heart, the life of Vanniyars will change. All demands in education, society and economic needs can be satisfied,” he said.
He added that the people of Tamil Nadu should give PMK ‘one chance’ (to rule the state).
“Seventy-four years have passed since India attained independence. We have protested for the same in the last 10 years. But, those in power then did not even call and speak to us. Even today, the situation remains the same. We continue to be in the situation of requesting the government to provide separate reservations for Vanniyars,” he said.
According to him, Vanniyar dominated regions in Tamil Nadu continued to remain most backward and the only solution to this problem is to seek separate reservations for Vanniyars. “The lifestyle conditions of Vanniyars cannot be improved without this. Vanniyars are the biggest community in Tamil Nadu and they cannot improve their lives without separate reservations,” he said.
The party wanted the Justice Rohini Commission report on sub-categorisations in the 27% reservations for OBCs to be made public.
“The creamy layer system should be completely abolished, reservations should be implemented in the appointment of judges in Supreme Court, High Courts, and caste wise population census should be undertaken in India,” he said.