Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin’s Bold Call for Constitutional Amendments to Strengthen SC, ST, OBC, Women Quotas: A National Perspective
Demanding the release of caste census done in 2015
20-09-2023 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president, M.K. Stalin, a staunch advocate of the Mandal Commission recommendations, has called upon the central government to amend the Constitution to address issues related to reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), women, and minorities. He made these demands while emphasizing the need for proper implementation and monitoring of these reservations at the national level.
Stalin, speaking at the second National Conference on India for Social Justice held virtually, stressed that social justice should not be limited to any specific state but should be a nationwide concern, particularly during the tenure of the BJP-led government. He insisted that the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, aimed at ensuring equitable representation for marginalized communities, should be faithfully executed.
Acknowledging variations in reservation percentages among states, Stalin underscored the common challenge of neglect faced by reservation policies across the country. He emphasized that wherever untouchability, slavery, and injustice persisted, reservation for SCs/STs should be rigorously enforced, and similar provisions should be extended to Backward Classes (BCs) and Most Backward Classes (MBCs).
Furthermore, Stalin emphasized the necessity of national-level oversight in the implementation of reservations. He called for constitutional amendments to guarantee that SC, ST, OBC, women, and minority candidates are appointed as Judges of High Courts and the Supreme Court. He advocated for OBC candidates to receive reservations in job promotions and seniority.
Stalin also demanded the release of the 2015 caste-based census data and called for the extension of reservation policies into the private sector. He argued that the authority to establish and execute reservation policies should be vested with state governments, with each state determining its quota based on local requirements.
Highlighting his concerns about the BJP’s stance on social justice, Stalin accused the party of hindering progress for the economically disadvantaged, SCs, STs, and OBCs. He noted that the BJP had failed to fully implement the 27% reservation for OBCs in the past nine years.
In response to recent remarks by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat supporting reservation, Stalin viewed them as a political ploy aimed at the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He questioned the sincerity of the BJP’s commitment to social justice and called for concrete actions to fill vacancies in central government departments in accordance with reservation quotas.
Stalin also drew attention to historical events, alleging the involvement of the RSS in the downfall of the V.P. Singh government over the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations. In doing so, he questioned the RSS’s credibility on the issue of reservation and criticized both the RSS and the BJP for their handling of social justice matters.
