AIADMK stand on EWS goes against path of MGR, Jaya; old-timers upset

CHENNAI: By agreeing to the reservation for Economic Weaker Sections (EWS) among the forward castes, the AIADMK party is going against the path laid down by party founder and former chief minister MG Ramachandran and his successor J Jayalalithaa.

Old timers and senior party functionaries expressed regret over the party’s stand on EWS after remaining silent over the Supreme Court’s verdict guaranteeing 10 per cent reservation in education and employment for the group.

“This is totally unacceptable and it will alienate the party if the leadership continues to echo BJP’s voice and toe their official line,” said a supporter of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, preferring anonymity.

Several functionaries echoed the same thought and recalled the government order 1156 passed by the MGR regime in July 1979 through which Rs 9,000 was fixed as annual income ceiling among the backward classes to benefit under reservation.

“MGR was firm and refused to take back the GO, resulting in year-long protests and demonstrations by DMK and DK. It resulted in a major setback for MGR and his party in the 1980 Lok Sabha polls. It won only two seats (Gobichettipalayam and Sivakasi), forcing MGR to withdraw the GO,” Dravida Kazhagam leader K Veeramani said and recalled that he spoke for nearly an hour in the all-party meeting chaired by MGR on the reservation based on economic basis.

Following this, MGR enhanced the reservation for backward classes from 31 per cent to 50 per cent. Simultaneously, he struck down GO 1156.

“MGR indeed announced in the state Assembly that his party and government was on the same page with the DMK on reservation, language policy and state autonomy,” said political critic Tharasu Shyam recalling the series of events over the issue.

MGR’s successor J Jayalalithaa followed suit and went a step ahead. She brought an Act to preserve the state’s 69 per cent reservation and incorporated it in the Ninth Schedule.

“The present AIADMK leadership has strayed away from the footsteps of MGR and Jayalalithaa by abstaining from the proceedings in both the houses of Parliament (during the 103 amendment of the Constitution). By accepting EWS, they are blatantly against Dravidian ideology and Anna (CN Annadurai). This clearly indicates that the present AIADMK leadership is under the yoke of the BJP,” Veeramani said.

Panruti S Ramachandran, who was in the cabinet of MGR, said, “EWS reservation would reduce the opportunity for the backward classes by 10 per cent from 31 per cent. “It is unconstitutional.”