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MDMK will back quota for Muslims, says Vaiko

Special Correspondent

Party will continue to support the community's just demands

CHENNAI : Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Sunday said his party would continue to support the just demands of the Muslims including reservation in jobs and education.

Participating in an Iftar party hosted by the MDMK, he said there was a time when views were expressed against providing quota for socially and economically backward sections. But today the nation had realised the importance of reservation, as an inevitable tool for achieving social justice.

Mr.Vaiko denied that the MDMK had been backing the demand for reservation for Muslims with a political motive.

The MDMK would firmly support the demand to strengthen national integration and communal peace by promoting goodwill, harmony and brotherhood among the people, he said.

Mr. Vaiko said the MDMK had made its position clear that the status quo of places of worship as on August 15, 1947 should be maintained to prevent communal disturbances and bloodshed in the name of religion. He also reiterated that ideas such as common civil code and theocracy were not suited to a pluralistic society.

Mr.Vaiko appealed to Muslims, more particularly the youth, not to deviate from the path of peace while fighting for their genuine demands. They need not take to violence under the surmise that they would not get justice, as there was sufficient scope to find a solution to their problems in a democratic society.

`Pro-U.S. position'

He flayed the stand taken by the Union Government at the recent International Atomic Energy Agency meeting on Iran's nuclear programmes. The country should not have taken a "pro-United States position" on the issue. He also stressed the need for making efforts to find a solution to the Kashmir issue through talks.

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