http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=SC/ST+Aikyavedi+flays+Misra+panel+proposal&artid=lwP3G%7CS0Jzs=&SectionID=lMx/b5mt1kU=&MainSectionID=lMx/b5mt1kU=&SEO=&SectionName=tm2kh5uDhixGlQvAG42A/07OVZOOEmts
By Express News Service 22 Dec 2009 07:12:31 AM IST SC/ST Aikyavedi flays Misra panel proposal THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Aikyavedi has flayed Ranganath Misra Commission report which recommended the inclusion of Christians and Muslims in the reservation list of Scheduled Castes/Tribes. Addressing a news conference here, Aikyavedi chairman Aithiyur Surendran said that they will organise strong protests against the move to sabotage the special order issued by the President in 1950 which barred the inclusion of other religious groups in the reservation list of Scheduled Castes. He said that Aikyavedi would not support political parties which support the Ranganath Misra Commission report in Parliament. The Aikyavedi demanded a census to determine the number of Scheduled Castes who adopted Christianity. They should be given special reservation. The Aikyavedi also demanded that those who converted to Islam should be included in the 27 percent reservation earmarked for the OBCs. The Aikyavedi demanded that the UPA Government is working to propagate votebank politics. In 2007, five leaders of the Aikyavedi had threatened to commit suicide in front of the Parliament when the report was about to be discussed in the Administrative Reforms Committee. General Secretary D S Raj, vice-presidents Puravoor Raghhunathan, Vellar Surendran, Kollam Viswabhran, Saravan Chandra, Nettayam Divakaran and Ravi Vaidyar also attended the press meet.
