PMK seeks PM's intervention in implementing OBC quota for medical seats

Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss took up the matter with Modi in a letter on Tuesday, a day after the Madras High Court cleared the decks for OBC reservation under All India Quota (AIQ) medical seats in non-central institutions and gave the Centre three months time to take a decision on the percentage. 

"Since you also belong to other backward classes, you are looked up as their representative and leader. We have high hopes that you can help their cause and render justice to them. Hence this letter," Ramadoss said in the letter to Modi.

Ever since the AIQ was created for admissions to UG and PG medical courses, OBCs have been "refused" reservation, Ramadoss said. His son and former Union Health Minister Anbumani, a Rajya Sabha member, has taken up the matter with the Centre through several letters "to rectify this injustice," he said.

"All India Quota is formed by pooling 50 per cent of PG seats and 15 per cent of UG seats in various state governments' medical colleges. Since all the seats are government educational institutions' seats pooled from State governments, the 27 per cent reservation must be implemented as per the law of the land," the PMK chief said in the letter.

While reservations for other categories like SCs and STs are implemented as per rule book and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) are provided reservation within general category, "refusing OBCs alone their due right is injustice and discrimination," he said. He claimed that in the past four years alone 11,000 OBC students have lost their right to get admitted to UG and PG medical courses under AIQ.

"OBCs have been denied their constitutionally provided rights for more than three decades, the PMK leader said and appealed to the Prime Minister to immediately put an end to "this injustice." 

Ramadoss urged Modi to use his good offices to take necessary steps to ensure compliance of the Court verdict and implement the 27 per cent reservation. The Madras High Court had on Monday directed the Central government to constitute a committee to decide on the issue of providing OBC reservation in all-India seats (AIQ) surrendered by Tamil Nadu for medical admission.

Such a committee comprising representatives from Centre, state and Medical Council of India should be constituted within three months, the court said. The ruling AIADMK, DMK, the state government and various other political parties had moved the court on the matter earlier.