Baalu rakes up reservation for med seats issue in LS

CHENNAI: The DMK has once again led the charge against the BJP-led Centre on reservation issue in the Parliament. DMK Parliamentary party leader TR Baalu picked holes in the NEET notification of the Centre allegedly overlooking 27 per cent reservation for OBCs (non-creamy layer) in all India pool in state and private medical institutions.

Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi regime for not implementing 27 per cent quota for OBCs in PG/MBBS medical admission despite following 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections among non-reserved category, Baalu, participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, said, “In 2017-18, they have received 9,966 seats for common pool (All India pool). The 27 per cent of OBC quota should have been 2,689 seats. Out of that they have extended only 266 seats to OBC and that too only in Central institutions, not in state or private institutions.”

“In 2018-19, total number of seats was 12,595 seats. The 27 per cent comes to 3,400. Only 299 seats were given to OBCs in Central institutions. The 27 per cent reservation is adopted by the Government of India. The state is adopting 50 per cent according to the state law. Why don’t they extend 27 per cent holistically and 50 per cent in Tamil Nadu alone?” Baalu wondered, urging the Centre to at least implement reservation in 2019-20.

‘NEP, bulldozer policy’ Joining the chorus against the Centre, MDMK leader Vaiko told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday the new education policy was nothing but a bulldozer policy. “Did you have serious deliberation with every state government? How many states supported it,” asked Vaiko in the Upper House.

DMK Rajya Sabha Tiruchy Siva sought to know if the Centre has addressed the issues and concerns raised by various stakeholders?

Responding to the ‘concerns’ raised by the Dravidian party MPs, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said they have received two lakh proposals which were under the consideration of the Centre.