Chennai: In a boost to the AIADMK’s ally, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Vanniyar caste that they represent, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu late on Monday issued an order to implement the 10.5% internal reservation allocated for the community. “This reservation will be followed for government jobs and educational institutions from this academic year,” the order read.
The previous AIADMK regime had on February 26 passed a legislation in the assembly to allocate 10.5% quota to the Vanniyar community within the existing 20% quota for the Most Backward Classes. The move was made ahead of the assembly elections that were held on April 6, to appease the PMK that threatened to walk out of the alliance if their demands weren’t met. The order issued by Mythili K Rajendran, secretary to the government said that the reservation which came into effect on February 26, will be applicable for new vacancies called by recruiting agencies and appointing authorities.
PMK founder S Ramadoss thanked the former AIADMK leadership for enacting the law and chief minister M K Stalin for implementing the reservation. “The situation of the people from the Vanniyar community will gradually improve when the reservation is implemented in employment and education,” Ramadoss tweeted in Tamil. Just a day ago, Ramadoss had expressed his disappointment that admissions for courses in engineering, arts and science colleges were announced without mentioning the reservation for Vanniyars.
This reservation has been a four-decade long demand of the PMK for the upliftment of the community which it reignited in the run up to the polls. Some of their protests during this time often turned violent. Former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s last act before the model code of conduct came into effect was passing the Bill offering a 10.5% internal quota for the Vanniyar community in educational institutions and appointments in government services and jobs within the existing reservation for MBCs. Despite its declining show in the electoral fray in the past decade, PMK retains clout amongst the Dravidian majors because of their dominating influence in the Vanniyar community- their core vote bank--in Tamil Nadu’s northern belt and a few districts in the western region.
{{/usCountry}}This reservation has been a four-decade long demand of the PMK for the upliftment of the community which it reignited in the run up to the polls. Some of their protests during this time often turned violent. Former chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s last act before the model code of conduct came into effect was passing the Bill offering a 10.5% internal quota for the Vanniyar community in educational institutions and appointments in government services and jobs within the existing reservation for MBCs. Despite its declining show in the electoral fray in the past decade, PMK retains clout amongst the Dravidian majors because of their dominating influence in the Vanniyar community- their core vote bank--in Tamil Nadu’s northern belt and a few districts in the western region.
{{/usCountry}}Necessary amendments to the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Service) Act, 2016 shall be issued separately, the order said.