Don't enforce reservations PM, President: IATO

New Delhi, May 27: Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of tour operators, has lent its weight to the stir launched by the anti-reservation medicos, saying the appeals made by the President and the Prime Minister to withdraw their strike ''would thwart hopes and aspirations of the talented and bright young students fighting for justice and fair play.'' In an emotional appeal to President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, IATO President Subhash Goyal said if politicians were interested in uplifting the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, they could make education free for them up to the highest level.

''But for God sake, let them not compromise on merit and divide the country on the basis of caste, creed, colour and religion,'' Mr Goyal, a former president of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), said in statement here today.

Expressing surprise over the media reports, he said the Prime Minister and the President, instead of stalling the move by the UPA government to enforce 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in Central educational institutions, had asked the agitating medicos to withdraw their strike on the quota issue.

''Such an appeal to the agitating students on the plea that seats in the general category would be raised amounted to giving a false hope and assurance which the Government is unable to fulfil in the near future,'' he said.

He also wanted to know from the ''two highest dignitaries'' of the country whether they were unaware of the fact that the government had no funds to spare for additional classrooms and hostels for the new entrants.

Besides, Mr Goyal pointed out, there was already a huge shortage of qualified and experienced faculty members, and it would be difficult for these institutions to manage recruitment of additional senior teachers.

''Enforcement of reservations through legislation or ordinance will only be at the cost of the higher educational standards and pursuit of excellence to which these institutions are wedded,'' he argued.

Mr Goyal said both the President and the Prime Minister, who have themselves risen to the top on the basis of merit, should not succumb to ''the pressure by certain groups'' to create vote banks.

''If they do, the country will be ruined with the thwarting of hopes and aspirations of the talented and bright young students who are fighting for justice and fair play.''

UNI