MDMK demands reservation amendment

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnethra Kazhagam Chief Vaiko on Friday demanded a constitutional amendment allowing state governments to fix the percentage of reservation for Backward and Most Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Tribes, as per their needs.

The Centre should move in this direction, he said in a statement, reacting to the Supreme Court's judgment, making all laws incorporated under the Ninth Schedule after 1973, subject to judicial scrutiny.

Criticising the DMK government in Tamil Nadu for 'not taking proper care' to project the state's case on 69 per cent reservation introduced by the All India Anna Dravida Munnethra Kazhagam government, he said when the constitutional amendment to include the law under the Ninth Schedule came up for voting, three DMK MPs, including the late Murasoli Maran, had abstained from voting, thereby 'betraying' the cause of social justice.

He alleged that the Centre had not taken any steps to safeguard the interests of Backward Classes and the reservation system, when the Supreme Court heard the case.