Cutting across political lines, leaders of all political parties on Tuesday sought in the Tamil Nadu assembly for immediate measures to implement 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in elite educational institutions, even as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi warned of a country-wide pro-quota uprising. Nationwide agitations by oppressed castes would 'erupt like a volcano' and the Centre should not give room for such a situation, Karunanidhi said replying to a discussion in the State assembly.
Referring to the Supreme Court stay on reservation, he said 'a situation where two or three persons could determine the future of 100 crore people was harmful to democracy'.
All India Anna Dravida Munnethra Kazhagam whip D Jayakumar, who initiated the discussion accused the Centre of not making wholehearted attempts to implement reservation.
"The Centre had not appointed good lawyers to fight the case on reservation", he said. Peter Alphonse of Congress said the United Progressive Alliance government was firm in implementing reservation for OBCs and expressed concern over some remarks by judges on quota.
Velmurugan said this was "...another instance of courts exceeding their jurisdiction and interfering into the legislature's powers." He said the court's action was anti-democratic as it was against majority of the people.
Expressing anguish over the court decision, CPI-M floor leader C Govindasamy said it was interference with the power of legislature.
CPI floor leader V Sivapunniyam said the court was adopting an adamant attitude on reservation and sought amendment to the Constitution to implement reservation. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnethra Kazhagam member Veera Ilavarasan also supported CPI demand for amendment to the Constitution.
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