Stalin’s poser to Central government on preparing OBC list

While welcoming the 123rd Amendment to the Constitution, which has been ratified by the Lok Sabha and which is to be forwarded to the select committee of the Rajya Sabha to accord Constitutional status to the National BC Commission, Stalin said that the Centre was trying to usurp the powers of the states in preparing OBC list by inserting clause 342 A, which states that the president would prepare the list. 

Asserting that preparation of the OBC list was the duty and entitlement of the states, Stalin said the aforesaid clause of the Amendment would make the state OBC commissions redundant besides usurping the state’s rights. 

Referring to the verdict of the ninejudge Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court in the Mandal case, the Leader of Opposition said the Court has upheld the right of states in preparing and releasing the OBCs list, after inclusion and omission of castes. 

Asking the ruling BJP not to make any amendment in contravention of the SC verdict in Mandal case, the DMK working president said the recommendation of the members of the Rajya Sabha select committee should assert the state’s rights in preparing OBCs list in conformity with the SC verdict. 

Claiming that the OBC lists of the Centre and Tamil Nadu were different and it would affect the employment opportunities of the people in the state, Stalin urged the Prime Minister not to take away the powers of the legislative assemblies and state OBC commissions by a single Constitutional Amendment. 

He added that people, who believe in federalism, were saddened by Narendra Modi’s regime. 

“Attempts were being made to reduce the state governments to the level of municipalities, even while the leaders preach the virtues of cooperative federalism,” he remarked.