Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, on Republic Day, said he would be launching an All India Federation for Social Justice soon, which would have ‘leaders from depressed classes from all States’ .
Addressing a national webinar on ‘Taking Forward The Struggle For Social Justice and Joint National Programme (JNP) for Social Justice Movement’, Mr. Stalin said “The [proposed] Federation will provide suggestions for all States to agree to laws related to social justice. The percentage of backward and oppressed communities may differ with each State; however, the ideology of social justice is the same. ‘Everything for everyone’ will be the base of this federation. This will be a federation that works to achieve principles of federalism and social justice,” he said.
The webinar was jointly organised by the All India Backward Classes Federation (AIBCF), the Social Revolution Alliance (SRA), Phule Ambedkari Gauravshali Aur Adarshawadi uhim (PAGAAM), the All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF), We The People (WTP) and Lead India.
All-India Quota in medical seats
Mr. Stalin also dismissed the claims that the BJP played a central role in ensuring 27% reservations for OBCs in the All-India Medical Quota.
“This is a great victory for social justice. We didn’t get this easily – we protested in people’s courts, in courts of justice, the State Assembly and in the Parliament. I am proud of what we have achieved,” he said. The Union government did not ‘hand over’ reservations to OBCs and SCs as is being claimed today.
“In 2019, I requested the Prime Minister to release a white paper on reservations for OBCs in the All India Medical Quota. DMK MPs raised this issue in the Parliament in both the houses. For medical and dental seats, DMK MP Wilson met the Health Minister and presented him with a letter on OBC reservations. In 2020, we filed a case in the Supreme Court in May and organised an all-party meeting as I knew we wouldn’t get anything by asking the Union government. We were asked to file the case in High Court. The Union government did not relent and said that only by resolving the Saloni Kumar case, this issue will be resolved,” he said.
Mr. Stalin added, “The Supreme Court then gave a verdict that DMK’s case is different and the Saloni Kumar case is different. The Madras High Court then said other backward classes reservations should be given from 2021-22. Since the Union government did not relent even then, the DMK filed a contempt of court case and the Supreme Court said that reservations must be implemented. Only on July 26, 2021, India’s Solicitor General said that the Union government would abide by the court’s verdict.”
The DMK president said, “They can forget these facts, but they cannot overshadow it. It is a victory for OBCs and Scheduled Castes. Social justice is about ensuring social equality in every sphere of life, not just in education and jobs. “
Leader of Opposition in Bihar, Tejaswi Yadav, who also spoke in the webinar and said, “The DMK and RJD have similar social visions. As long as a caste census is not done, we will not know the real picture in India. Those who dismiss the caste census are those who are not interested in social justice,” he said.
Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said downtrodden people across India are beneficiaries of Dravidian movement. “In 1951, when communal GO was struck down, Periyar, Anna and other leaders of the Dravidian movement showed the way and amended the constitution. This is not only for Tamil Nadu but the beneficiaries are depressed and downtrodden people throughout India,” he said.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson, Sardar Takinder Singh Jhalli, founder, PAGAAM, B.D. Borkar, founder BAMCEF, Dravidar Kazhagam’s president, K. Veeramani, also participated in the event.
