The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, has expressed his opposition to imposing a maximum limit of 50% for reservation in employment and education during his virtual address at the second conference of the Federation of India for Social Justice. Stalin argued that states should be able to decide the percentage of reservation based on the population of deserving sections. He criticized the BJP-led central government for not effectively implementing the reservation policy and called for the power to grant reservation to be delegated to state governments.

Stalin also questioned the support of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for reservation and highlighted the inaction of the RSS when the VP Singh regime, which provided social justice to marginalized classes, was overthrown. He accused the BJP of not genuinely caring about social justice and claimed that they do not want the poor, marginalized classes, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes to progress. Stalin urged the central government to implement the two demands made by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in 1973 regarding reservation for scheduled castes in central government jobs and a specific percentage of reservation for scheduled castes and backward sections in government positions.

Stalin traced the history of social justice in Tamil Nadu, attributing the provision of caste-based reservation and guaranteeing social justice in the state to the Justice Party and the Dravidian movement. He also highlighted that the Indian Constitution was amended after protests in Tamil Nadu, allowing for the provision of privileges for socially and educationally backward sections. Stalin emphasized that the definition of social justice in the Constitution lies in providing reservation to the oppressed.

Sources:
– Federation of India for Social Justice
– Chief Minister M K Stalin