QUOTA ISSUE: TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED STRIKE PASSES

UNCLAS CHENNAI 000250 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CASC IN SUBJECT: QUOTA ISSUE: TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED STRIKE PASSES PEACEFULLY ¶1. (SBU) A government-sponsored "bandh" (close-down strike),called jointly by the ruling DMK party and its allies (including the Congress Party),paralyzed the entire state of Tamil Nadu from dawn to dusk on March 31. The government called the strike to protest the Supreme Court's March 29 decision to stay the law providing a 27% quota to economically backward castes, known as Other Backward Classes (OBCs),for spaces in India's prestigious educational institutions. ¶2. (SBU) Compliance with the ruling party's call to close down all services in the state was virtually complete. There were no instances of serious violence. Determined to make the strike a grand success, the government declared a holiday for all schools and government offices. Public transport, including trains, did not operate. A small number of private vehicles were seen on the road. Flights operated, but many passengers postponed their journeys to avoid possible road to and from airports. ¶3. (SBU) In view of the difficulties in transporting staff, private companies, including Ford's Tamil Nadu plant, hastily declared a holiday. American Chamber of Commerce sources told Post that 24/7 call center and business process outsourcing services, however, avoided disruption by having their employees work double shifts. Hospital services, water, and electricity were not affected. ¶4. (SBU) The DMK requested the state's primary opposition party, the AIADMK, to support the strike and show solidarity to the cause of the backward castes. But the AIADMK, keeping with its tendency to oppose all which the ruling party supports, chose not to participate. ¶5. (U) Post's American Citizens Services Unit cleared with Embassy New Delhi and CA/OCS and then issued a warden message to inform the American community about the strike. To our knowledge there were no strike-related incidents involving American citizens. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: Tamil Nadu is out in front of much of India on the issue of reservations for backwards castes, with its 69% quota the highest in the land. Given the state's substantial OBC population, the government felt that it had to be seen as taking some sort of action in response to the Supreme Court's decision. The state-wide shutdown allowed the ruling DMK to position itself on the politically advantageous side of the issue. END COMMENT. HOPPER