Farmers Movement Archive

Credit for 7.5% quota goes to opposition parties: K S Alagiri

TRICHY: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K S Alagiri has said that the credit for the government’s order to bring into force the 7.5% reservation for government school students in MBBS admissions goes to the opposition parties and not the ruling AIADMK, BJP or governor Banwarilal Purohit. “The government passed a GO after the Puduchery government gave 10% reservation for government school students in medicine courses. Unable to withstand the pressure, Tamil Nadu governor also gave his consent for the reservation. But it all happened after a series of protests by the opposition parties. So, it is not the victory of AIADMK, BJP and the governor,” Alagiri told reporters on Saturday. He was in Trichy to participate in the demonstrations organised by the Congress against the two farm bills in Trichy rural areas and Ariyalur district. Alagiri said that the committee led by retired justice P Kalaiyarasan recommended 10% internal reservation for government school students in MBBS. “The government reduced the reservation to 7.5%. Despite tabling it before the governor, he did not give his consent for 45 days. If the governor rejects, it can be enacted as law in the assembly but the government did not accept it and did not even write to the governor,” he said. On the proposed Vetrivel Yatra of BJP president L Murugan, Alagiri said, “If the ‘Vel’ of Lord Muruga is in our hands, it will be for the safety of the people. When it goes to the hands of BJP, it will be bloodshed. No one can drive a wedge in the soil known for secular spirituality,” said Alagiri. He also criticized the GoBackStalin trending on Twitter against DMK president M K Stalin for participating in Thevar Jayanthi event. He said people here shunned Prime Minister Narendra Modi because of him not valuing south Indians. On the survey being conducted by TNCC across the state, Alagiri said, “We survey the mood of the people. So far, it shows AIADMK-BJP trailing behind DMK-Congress alliance,” he said.

The Times of India

2020-11-01

Trichy