Creamy layer concept against Constitution: PMK
Stepping up its rhetoric on the exclusion of well-to-do sections from 27% OBC quota for higher education, the PMK on Monday termed the very concept of ‘creamy layer’ unconstitutional.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Stepping up its rhetoric on the exclusion of well-to-do sections from 27% OBC quota for higher education, the PMK on Monday termed the very concept of ���creamy layer��� unconstitutional.
The statement by the pro-OBC party came on the eve of resumption of the Budget session of Parliament which will see Congress and other constituents of the ruling alliance trash out the question of how to re-define ���creamy layer��� in the meetings of UPA co-ordination committee.
���There is no mention about the concept (of creamy layer) in the Constitution. All the leaders who work for social justice should work together to defeat the concept,��� PMK founder S Ramadoss told reporters in Chennai. The PMK leader, whose son Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has already promised to implement 27% OBC quota in AIIMS from the coming academic year, also said the framers of Constitution did not approve of the creamy layer concept.
The PMK���s strong stance over the issue ��� it was the first party in the ruling alliance to register its protest over the exclusion of the creamy layer from the OBC reservations upheld by the Supreme Court ��� is likely to put pressure on the DMK, the bigger Tamil party in the UPA, to intensify its soundbytes on the issue as well. DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to take immediate measures for a ���fair and just review��� of the various parameters of what defines ���creamy layer��� including the income criteria.
The DMK, however, seems to have come around to the idea of the government having a relook at the idea of the income and other criteria for ���creamy layer��� so that the quota can be implemented from the coming academic year. The matter is now set to be taken to the UPA co-ordination committee where the Congress will be under pressure to meet the demands of its southern allies and RJD who have spoken out against excluding the creamy layer from the quota.
With these issues on the table, the UPA leadership will have to work fast to ensure that the reservations can be put in place from this year itself. Though parties like the PMK might be protesting loudly, it would suit their interests to have the quota in place rather than see it being stuck in court for another year ��� the last of the UPA government���s five-year tenure.
The statement by the pro-OBC party came on the eve of resumption of the Budget session of Parliament which will see Congress and other constituents of the ruling alliance trash out the question of how to re-define ���creamy layer��� in the meetings of UPA co-ordination committee.
���There is no mention about the concept (of creamy layer) in the Constitution. All the leaders who work for social justice should work together to defeat the concept,��� PMK founder S Ramadoss told reporters in Chennai. The PMK leader, whose son Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has already promised to implement 27% OBC quota in AIIMS from the coming academic year, also said the framers of Constitution did not approve of the creamy layer concept.
The PMK���s strong stance over the issue ��� it was the first party in the ruling alliance to register its protest over the exclusion of the creamy layer from the OBC reservations upheld by the Supreme Court ��� is likely to put pressure on the DMK, the bigger Tamil party in the UPA, to intensify its soundbytes on the issue as well. DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to take immediate measures for a ���fair and just review��� of the various parameters of what defines ���creamy layer��� including the income criteria.
The DMK, however, seems to have come around to the idea of the government having a relook at the idea of the income and other criteria for ���creamy layer��� so that the quota can be implemented from the coming academic year. The matter is now set to be taken to the UPA co-ordination committee where the Congress will be under pressure to meet the demands of its southern allies and RJD who have spoken out against excluding the creamy layer from the quota.
With these issues on the table, the UPA leadership will have to work fast to ensure that the reservations can be put in place from this year itself. Though parties like the PMK might be protesting loudly, it would suit their interests to have the quota in place rather than see it being stuck in court for another year ��� the last of the UPA government���s five-year tenure.
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