DMK seeks Sonia's intervention for creamy layer inclusion
DMK and MPs have sought Sonia Gandhi's intervention to get the Centre to review the income limit for the well-to-do section.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Even as the Congress gears up to face political pressure from UPA allies to include the creamy layer within the ambit of OBC quota, DMK ministers and MPs have sought Congress chief Sonia Gandhi���s intervention to get the Centre to review the income limit for the well-to-do section.
The demand is significant as it is emerging as the main subject for discussion at the meeting of the UPA co-ordination committee to be held in the coming days. UPA allies such as DMK, PMK, RJD and LJP, while welcoming apex court���s decision to uphold 27% OBC quota, have come out against the exclusion of the well-to-do sections or the creamy layer from its benefits.
A group of DMK ministers and MPs met Ms Gandhi on Tuesday and asked her get the ���government to take immediate measures for a fair and just review of the various parameters��� for defining OBCs so that ���a solution��� could be found in time for the quota to be implemented from this academic year. A memorandum presented to Ms Gandhi by the DMK delegation, headed by Union minister and senior leader TR Baalu, said there was an ���urgent need to review the income limit (of Rs 2.5 lakhs) so that we are able to ensure 100% utilisation of the 27% quota earmarked for them (OBCs)���. It said the existing parameters for defining OBCs were ���sweeping��� and pointed out that ���...the income limit prescribed for the purpose has become outdated particularly in the wake of the recent 6th pay commission recommendations���.
The memorandum, which was signed by Mr Baalu and other Union ministers including A Raja, SS Palanimanickam, K Venkatapathy, S Regupathy and other DMK MPs, further argued that the ���general perception was that even children of Group D government employees would not be eligible for quota in central universities, IITs and IIMs in keeping with the present limit of Rs 2.5 lakhs.���
���Even otherwise, 27% of seat set apart for the OBCs could not be fully availed by these communities, because of the stringent parameters, though the socially and educationally backward classes constitute well over 50% of the population,��� the memorandum said. It added that DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister, M Karunanidhi, would offer further views of the party so that ���elaborate discussions on the issue could be facilitated at an appropriate time���.
The memorandum comes a day after another OBC party from Tamil Nadu, the PMK, raised the pitch on the question of exclusion of well-do-sections from the ambit of the OBC quota. Its founder S Ramadoss said the concept of the creamy layer itself was unconstitutional and asked all like-mined parties to come together to ���defeat��� the concept.
Mr Karunanidhi has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh taking up creamy layer matter with him, while RJD chief Lalu Prasad said at a meeting of the Union cabinet that income limit will have to be raised.
The demand is significant as it is emerging as the main subject for discussion at the meeting of the UPA co-ordination committee to be held in the coming days. UPA allies such as DMK, PMK, RJD and LJP, while welcoming apex court���s decision to uphold 27% OBC quota, have come out against the exclusion of the well-to-do sections or the creamy layer from its benefits.
A group of DMK ministers and MPs met Ms Gandhi on Tuesday and asked her get the ���government to take immediate measures for a fair and just review of the various parameters��� for defining OBCs so that ���a solution��� could be found in time for the quota to be implemented from this academic year. A memorandum presented to Ms Gandhi by the DMK delegation, headed by Union minister and senior leader TR Baalu, said there was an ���urgent need to review the income limit (of Rs 2.5 lakhs) so that we are able to ensure 100% utilisation of the 27% quota earmarked for them (OBCs)���. It said the existing parameters for defining OBCs were ���sweeping��� and pointed out that ���...the income limit prescribed for the purpose has become outdated particularly in the wake of the recent 6th pay commission recommendations���.
The memorandum, which was signed by Mr Baalu and other Union ministers including A Raja, SS Palanimanickam, K Venkatapathy, S Regupathy and other DMK MPs, further argued that the ���general perception was that even children of Group D government employees would not be eligible for quota in central universities, IITs and IIMs in keeping with the present limit of Rs 2.5 lakhs.���
���Even otherwise, 27% of seat set apart for the OBCs could not be fully availed by these communities, because of the stringent parameters, though the socially and educationally backward classes constitute well over 50% of the population,��� the memorandum said. It added that DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister, M Karunanidhi, would offer further views of the party so that ���elaborate discussions on the issue could be facilitated at an appropriate time���.
The memorandum comes a day after another OBC party from Tamil Nadu, the PMK, raised the pitch on the question of exclusion of well-do-sections from the ambit of the OBC quota. Its founder S Ramadoss said the concept of the creamy layer itself was unconstitutional and asked all like-mined parties to come together to ���defeat��� the concept.
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Mr Karunanidhi has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh taking up creamy layer matter with him, while RJD chief Lalu Prasad said at a meeting of the Union cabinet that income limit will have to be raised.
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