CHENNAI: Expressing concern over the Supreme Court recently admitting a petition challenging the 69 per cent reservation in TN, the CPM on Tuesday urged the State and Union governments to employ talented lawyers to present the case of the reservation in an effective manner so that it can be protected.
“Both Centre and State should act in a resolute manner and take strong measures to protect 69 per cent reservation implemented in the State under unique circumstances,” K Balakrishnan, CPM state secretary.
Pointing out the long history of providing reservation since 1921 in TN, he said the Supreme Court had, in the past, dismissed petitions challenging the reservation in Tamil Nadu but recently the court admitted one such petition, going against the approach adopted so far. “This has rendered a big risk for the reservation system,” he said.
Balakrishnan called upon democratic, progressive forces and those concerned about social justice to work together in order to protect the reservation system.
DMK flays move to hike rates of bus pass
DMK president MK Stalin on Tuesday urged the Tamil Nadu government to give up its move to hike the cost of monthly bus pass from `1000 to `1,300, saying that it would badly affect the weaker sections of the society. “The AIADMK government should give up the move to increase the rate of monthly bus pass to `1,300 from `1,000,” he said in a statement here. He criticised the government for raising fares instead of initiating constructive measures to make the state transport undertakings profitable.
‘Guv must order release of Rajiv convicts’
Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday demanded that Governor Banwarilal Purohit issue orders to release the seven convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case without any further delay. The party’s state secretary R Mutharasan, in a statement, noted that the State Cabinet on September 6 adopted a resolution asking the Governor to release the convicts. So, without delaying further, the Governor should order release of the convicts by accepting the resolution of the Cabinet, he said.