NCP urges TN Govt to pass resolution on OBC reservation

Chennai, Aug 17 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today urged the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu to pass a unanimous resolution in the State Assembly, providing for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions.

Talking to newspersons here, NCP state president Dindivanam K Ramamurthee said Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, a strong votary of reservation, should convene a special session of the State Assembly and pass a unanimous resolution in this regard.

Since the Supreme Court had granted an interim stay on the quota issue, one could not decipher how the final verdict would go.

Irrespective of the verdict, the Chief Minister, having championed the cause, should not stop with merely issuing a statement that the issue would be dealt with in Parliament. ''He (Mr Karunanidhi) should take concrete steps and show the way to the Centre by adopting a resolution in the Assembly,'' he added.

On the controversial titanium dioxide project, which was put on hold by the state government following widespread opposition, Mr Ramamurthee said land acquisition for the Rs 2,500 crore project should be left to the company regarding setting up the project.

''The state government should not get into it...the government should not act as a broker. Let the company themselves acquire the lands directly,'' he said, adding that the government should ensure that the interests of farmers were not affected.

On the war of words between the DMK and the PMK, the expelled Congress leader welcomed the PMK's tough posture against the ruling DMK and said the NCP respected the sentiments of PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and the local people on the Sholinganallur Housing Board issue.

On the delimitation of constituencies, he said it had been done with political interference.

Mr Ramamurthee also wanted the Government to release a special coin and stamp to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Muthuramalinga Devar.

UNI