Date:08/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/08/stories/2008100859830800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Meeting on granting quota for Christians

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The government will discuss on Wednesday a solution to the problems arising out of granting 3.5 per cent reservation to Christians in the State. While the move has been broadly welcomed, there have been problems in Kanyakumari, where Christians are a majority.

The meeting will be attended by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Law Minister Durai Murugan and senior Cabinet colleagues apart from retired judge M.S. Janardhanam, who headed the committee to grant 3.5 per cent reservation to minorities in the State.

The Nagercoil MP A.V. Bellarmine and Members of Legislative Assembly from Kanyakumari district met the Chief Minister on Tuesday and requested him to consider providing exemption for Christians in the district from the reservation provisions earlier announced for Christians and Muslims of the State. “The reservation of 3.5 per cent for backward Christians may not effectively address the sincere concerns of the government about the welfare of the minorities in the district,” said A. Rajan, MLA, Nagercoil.