Vanniyar quota case: Stalin blames AIADMK haste

CHENNAI: “The Bill was passed hastily due to which the case went against the state government in the High Court and the Supreme Court,” said the Chief Minister, who also recalled the observation of the apex court which stated that the previous AIADMK government committed an error while passing the Bill.

Earlier, a special calling attention motion on the subject was moved in the Assembly by PMK floor leader GK Mani, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan and Congress floor leader K Selvaperunthagai. Mani said that the only reason for which the 10.5 per cent reservation was rejected by the Supreme Court was the lack of data on castes and urged the state to immediately collect the data to validate the reservation for Vanniyars.

Velmurugan also pointed out to the absence of data related to Vanniyars in the Bill and urged the state government to pass a fresh Bill in the ongoing session on the 10.5 per cent quota for Vanniyars. Selvaperunthagai referring to the Supreme Court order said that the Bill was passed hastily without data and if the Bill was passed with sufficient data it would not have been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Agitated over the comments of Velmurugan and Selvaperunthagai, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami replied that the reason for losing the case is due to the non-appointment of senior advocates to argue the case in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court.

He also said that based on the demands of Vanniyars, the Kulasekaran Commission was appointed to collect data on castes, but due to compulsions, they had to take the recommendations of Janarthanan Commission and passed the Bill to provide 10.5 per cent reservation for Vanniyar community.

Stalin replied to EPS that best advocates were deputed to argue the case and appreciated senior counsels Rakesh Dwivedi, Abishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi and P Wilson for their strong arguments. He also said that the legal battle for 10.5 per cent for Vanniyar community will continue.