DMK asks AIADMK to back govt in going for appeal in EWS verdict

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK has advised rival AIADMK to back the state government on the EWS reservation case to secure the forgiveness of people for their past mistakes.

Taking strong exception to AIADMK leader D Jayakumar’s critique that the DMK did not advance strong arguments in the reservation case before the Supreme Court, DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi on Friday said that his party MP cum senior advocate P Wilson had put forth a strong argument in the case. Recalling the nail biting victory secured by Wilson in the Marina memorial case for former DMK chief M Karunanidhi during the previous AIADMK regime, Bharathi, in the company of Wilson, told reporters at Anna Arivalayam.

“Jayakumar says we did not place strong arguments in the case. Let me remind (everyone) that it was the DMK that secured 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in all India quota in medical admission. Wilson secured that too. So, stop blaming and stand behind the government in this case. People will pardon you for your past mistakes.”

Seeks statistics from BJP over EWS quota

Adding that the people would not forgive them (AIADMK) if they continued to betray, Bharathi and Wilson also jointly faulted BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan for claiming that more communities would benefit from the EWS reservation. Wondering if the BJP is ready to release statistics on who would benefit the most from EWS quota, Bharathi said, “Only one community will secure maximum benefit. We are ready. We have the information obtained through RTI. Is the BJP ready?”

Reasoning that Chief Minister MK Stalin has adopted Anna’s “discussion before decision” policy and hence called for the all legislature parties meeting on Saturday to discuss the next course of action on the reservation case, the DMK organising secretary said that his general secretary has already announced that they would move a review petition before the SC and they would win it like the 27% reservation secured for OBCs under All India Quota in medical admission.

Ideology and alliance are different

When reporters sought his reaction to the Congress welcoming the EWS verdict, Bharathi recalled the support offered by Kamarajar to defend communal GO in the distant past and said, “There cannot be a stronger Congress leader than Kamarajar. He told Nehru that disturbing communal GO would disturb Tamil Nadu. The Dravidian movement engineered the first Constitutional amendment to protect communal GO. Even NEET was introduced by the Congress regime. We were in the UPA. We tried to stop it. Alliance is different, ideology is different.”