PMK to hold protests against T.N. govt. over caste census issue

PMK leader Anbumani has set targets for constituency in-charges for the party’s December 17 “fill the jails” protest against the State government for its failure to conduct caste census and implement internal reservations for Vanniyar community within the Most Backward Classes quota.

The party’s senior leaders said the constituency in charges have been asked to ensure a certain number of PMK cadres are arrested in every police station in their constituency.

“During the recent party district secretaries’ meeting, we have, for the first time, initiated measures for work at the booth and ward level. We also appointed constituency in charge who will assign people at booth and ward level. In previous elections, we commenced such work late,” said K Balau, spokesperson of the PMK headed by Mr Anbumani.

“Our president has appointed PMK leaders who are not from a particular district to oversee preparation for the elections…the idea being that those who are not from the district will be able to smoothen differences between factions and start micro-level campaigns,” he explained.

The cadres at the booth level have been asked to take the message about how the DMK government had not conducted the caste census and is yet to provide internal reservations for Vanniyars. “We want to take the message mainly to apolitical Vanniyars about reservations and ways to get it back,” he said.

The party has demanded that the Justice V. Bharathidasan, whose tenure as the Chairman, Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission is coming to an end soon, should be changed for not making recommendations for Vanniyar internal reservation.