Sub-committee on OBC reservation submits recommendations: FM

Chennai, Dec 17 (UNI) The three-member Union Cabinet sub-committee for preparing a draft bill to extend reservation to the Other Backward Classess (OBCs) in private and unaided educational institutions has submitted its recommendations to the cabinet, Sub-committee member and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today.

Winding up the one-day seminar on protection of social justice organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) here, Mr Chidambaram pointed out that the committee consisiting of External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh and himself had finalised the draft bill.

The recommendations was now before the Cabinet and after its approval, the bill would be tabled before the Lok Sabha shortly.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission Bill 2006), providing 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in Central higher educational Institutions, was yet another reflection of the Congress party's deep faith for social justice, he added.

The Congress party was the first forum to raise voice in support of social justice, he said and welcomed other parties which also claimed credit for advancing the cause of social justice.

The social justice movement was initiated nearly 80 years ago and everybody should wage a relentless struggle for protecting it, he said and called up on Congressmen to work for protection of social justice.

In his address, TNCC President M Krishnasamy said it was the Congress, which stood for social justice in those days so that farmers, dhobies, barbar and other communities could rise to become scientists, doctors and occupy other higher positions.

Former Union Minister K V Thangabalu, J M Haroon, Rajya Sabha member E M Sudharsana Natchiyappan, among others, spoke at the seminar.

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