Parties to protest in Chennai demanding caste survey

CHENNAI: Even as the State government refuses to conduct the caste-based survey citing that it has no power to do so, parties including PMK, IJK, Puratchi Bharatham Katchi and others have decided to conduct a huge protest in Chennai demanding the survey. The decision was taken during a meeting held in the city on Monday.

"At a time when 69 per cent of reservation is under threat in Tamil Nadu, the State government and social justice organizations have a responsibility to safeguard it. If the government fails to submit details on what basis the 69 per cent reservation is followed in the Supreme Court, the reservation will be cancelled," a joint resolution adopted in the meeting warned.

The resolution added that the caste-based surveys were conducted in Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka. Moreover, the Supreme Court or High Court has not banned the conduct of the survey and the courts have validated such surveys.

Speaking in the meeting, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said that state-wide protests will be conducted if Chief Minister MK Stalin refuses to budge even after the protest in Chennai.

"We will not remain silent if 69 per cent reservation is threatened in the state. Tamil Nadu will see riots if the reservation is reduced to 50 per cent. While other states have conducted the survey, Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister claims that the state has no power. The central government is going to conduct a population census. We are demanding the central government to conduct a caste-based survey across the country, " he said.

Saying that there is a need to increase the reservation for SC, ST, MBC and BC, he added that caste-based census is a must to provide reservation to forward communities also.

It was decided in the meeting to finalize the date for the protest in Chennai after consultation with all the parties and organisations.