PMK leader unhappy over staggered OBC reservation

Chennai, Aug 22: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss, whose party is a key constituent in the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, today said the cabinet's decision to opt for staggered implementation of 27 per cent of reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions has disappointed all those, who are committed to social justice.

In a statement here, Dr Ramadoss said almost all the political parties in the country had advocated for the implementation of 27 per cent reservation at one go and demanded that it be implemented from the current academic year itself, but the Centre has disappointed them.

The Tamil Nadu assembly had also passed a resolution, urging the Union Government to implement 27 per cent reservation and the MPs from the state also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and explained the need for its immediate implementation, 'but the Centre's decision to implement it in a staggered manner has disappointed all those who are committed to social justice,'' he added.

While commenting on Indian independence, rationalist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy had said that it was nothing but a power transfer from the British to the Indian upper castes. ''The Union Cabinet's decision to opt for staggered implementation of 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions has proved Periyar right,'' the PMK leader said.

UNI