In Tamil Nadu, AIADMK welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the 27 percent quota for medical admissions and proclaimed this a victory for its sustained fight against quotas.
The main opposition party also lashed out at its rival, the ruling DMK, for claiming credit for it, alleging it had not made the smallest effort in the quota issue.
AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator K Palaniswami also vowed to oppose the 10 percent EWS quota.
In a joint statement, the two leaders said the Friday judgment of the Apex Court was a 'victory' to the party's long-pending and sustained plea on the OBC quota front, they said, adding it will enable increasing seats in medical admissions.
Announcing that the AIADMK had taken pioneering steps to implement welfare measures for the socially and educationally backward sections of the population, they recalled reservation for the backward classes was increased from 31 to 50 percent during the rule of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran in 1980, which directly beneficial to AIADMK members in terms of admission to professional schools and government employment.
Similarly, late chief minister J Jayalalithaa piloted an Assembly bill in 1990, urging the central government to increase the OBC quota in jobs from the then announced 27 percent to 50 percent, they said.
Subsequently, in 1993 she enacted legislation in Tamil Nadu allowing a total of 69 percent reservation and ensured it was included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and "thus ensured social justice," they added.
The party and its led government earlier moved the court against the non-provision of 27 percent OBC quota in AIQ in medical admissions and the Madras High Court had in July 2020 directed the Centre to form a panel and decide on the matter, the two leaders recalled.
Subsequently, based on the panel's recommendations the Centre allotted reservation which was upheld by the SC on Friday, they said.
"This is a victory for the AIADMK's sustained struggle and insistence," they said and lashed out at the DMK, saying the party despite its presence in central governments for 17 years, did not take any effort in the matter but were suddenly claiming credit for the same.
