DMK ‘no’ to economic quotas

The ruling DMK has opposed the quota for economically backward classes who are not covered in the existing reservation policy, in education and employment opportunities while most other states have favoured the proposal.

“The government does not want reservation on the basis of economic backwardness in education and employment opporunities,” Major General S.R. Sinho, chairman of National Commission for Economic Backward Classes told reporters after holding a public hearing at the Chennai district collectorate on Wednesday.

“Out of the 12 states we have visited, all are in favour of reservation as well as welfare measures for the economically backward. Except for the Kerala, which is only in favour of welfafe measures,” the chairman said. He also added that the commission would also suggest the necessary constitutional legal and administrative modalities, which were required to implement the recommendation.

Mr Sinho said that the commission would visit all the states and submit its recommendation to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 2009. “The commission will suggest criteria for identification for economically backward classes and quantum of reservation for such classes ont eh basis of their economic backwardness,” he added.

However, N. Vasudevan, secretary of BC, MBC and Minority welfare department said that the Tamil Nadu government opposed the reservation as it is not constitutionally validated. “The constitution says that reservation benefits should be provided only on the basis of social and economical backwardness,” he added.