Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed his opposition to capping reservation at 50% in employment and education during his virtual address at the second conference of All India Federation for Social Justice. Stalin argued that states should be allowed to decide on the quantum of quota based on the population of deserving sections. He criticized the BJP-led government at the Centre for not effectively implementing the reservation policy and called for the power to grant reservation to be devolved to state governments.
Stalin also took a dig at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, questioning his support for reservation and highlighting the RSS’s inaction when the VP Singh regime, which provided social justice to backward classes, was toppled. He accused the BJP of not genuinely caring about social justice and stated that it does not want the poor, backward classes, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes to progress. Stalin urged the central government to implement the two demands made by late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in 1973 regarding reservation for SCs in central government jobs and a specific quantum of reservation for SC and backward sections in government posts.
Stalin traced the history of social justice in Tamil Nadu, crediting the Justice Party and the Dravidian movement for providing caste-based reservation and ensuring social justice in the state. He also highlighted that the Indian Constitution was amended following protests in Tamil Nadu, allowing for the provision of privileges to socially and educationally backward sections. Stalin emphasized that the definition of social justice in the Constitution lies in providing reservation to the downtrodden.
Sources:
– All India Federation for Social Justice
– Chief Minister M K Stalin