PM holds consultations with Ramadoss on quota

Prime Minister held consultations with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, whose party PMK wants its immediate implementation.

Continuing his efforts to build a consensus on the implementation of OBC reservation in elite educational institutions, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday held consultations with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, whose party PMK wants its immediate implementation.

HT Image

Advocating a 'one-go' rollout of reservation, Ramadoss told the Prime Minister that students belonging to OBC category have waited enough to get access to higher education. They could be accommodated in the existing facilities and as and when infrastructure improves, students from unreserved categories could be given seats.

"The PMK even asked for bringing an Ordinance to implement the process", Ramadoss said after the meeting in which UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee were present.

The Minister said that his party was also against exclusion of creamy layer from the proposed reservation.

The Prime Minister received a boost yesterday when he had received support from RJD supremo Lalu Prasad when he said his party would support the government in "whatever decision it takes on the issue".

"We are committed to reservation. Let us first finalise all this," Prasad had said when asked whether his party would agree to a staggered implementation as suggested by the Oversight Committee headed by Veerappa Moily.