Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHENNAI250
2007-04-02 10:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Chennai
Cable title:
QUOTA ISSUE: TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED STRIKE PASSES
how-toVZCZCXRO1516 RR RUEHBI RUEHCI DE RUEHCG #0250 0921019 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 021019Z APR 07 FM AMCONSUL CHENNAI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0805 INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2407 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0745 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5010 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1315
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
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
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