Reservation under the communal government order (GO) for backward classes in education and government jobs, ushered in by the Justice Party government in Tamil Nadu 100 years ago, has moved from an anti-brahmin provision into a fortress for vested interests, vote-bank politics and perpetuation of the very caste system that the Justice Party sought to fight.

There is a need to return to the policy of reservation for classes and not castes, as envisaged in the Constitution and as followed by The Supreme Court to ensure a non-discriminatory policy, aimed to benefit the target sections.

The present DMK-led government has set up a panel to work out ways and means of ensuring social particularly in Education and EMPLOYMENT. But an effort should be made to look at issues and avoid pandering to casteism and vote banks.