TN's 80 year struggle for reservation culminates in bandh

Chennai, Mar 31 (UNI) The dawn-to-dusk bandh organised by the ruling DMK and its allies today was the first bandh on reservation issue in Tamil Nadu, in its over 80-year-long struggle.

It all began when the then Justice Party regime, headed by 'Panagal' Raja passed the first Communal GO No.613 on September 16, 1921, providing reservation for 'depressed classes, including Dalits.

This was followed by a second Communal GO on August 15, 1922 and the third on Februaru six, 1924 during the same regime. The scope of reservation was expanded when the then P Subbarayan government passed a Communal GO on December 15, 1928.

This for the first time provided reservation for Backward Classes, minorities and Dalits in government jobs and educational institutes.

After Independence in 1950, the Communal GO was challenged in Madras High court, when two students, who failed to get admission to medical and engineering colleges, filed petitions.

The High Court struck down the GO, holding it was unconstitutional and the Supreme Court too held that the Constitution provided reservation only for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and not for Backward Classes.

Tamil Nadu witnessed a massive agitation after the GO was struck down with the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) headed by rationalist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by late Chief Minister C N Annadurai, taking the issue to the streets.

Tamil Nadu witnessed another furious protest, when the then Chief Minister M G Ramachandran introduced income criteria for identifying backward classes in 1980.

After the AIADMK's defeat in the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, MGR not only withdrew the income criteria but also increased the quantum of reservation for backward classes from 31 to 50 per cent.

The DMK, in 1989, carved out 20 per cent exclusive reservation for the backward classes, and other Most Backward Classes.

Then came the implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations by the V P Singh government at the Centre and the Supreme Court order directing state governments to restrict reservation to 50 per cent.

Then the AIADMK regime led by Ms Jayalalithaa passed a law in 1994, to continue with 69 per cent reservation - 50 per cent for the Backward Classes and 19 per cent for SCs and STs.

She got the legislation included in the ninth schedule of the Constitution, so that it could not be challenged in court. This law is now under threat, as the Supreme Court recently said laws included in the ninth schedule after 1972 would be subject to judicial review.

Bandhs were organised in the state on Cauvery and Sri Lankan Tamil issues. This was the first time a bandh was organised on the quota issue bringing normal life to a standstill in the state.

UNI