Coimbatore, Jan 8: Dravida Kazhagam (DK) will take up the issue of non-implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations of 27 per cent reservation for backward classes in the Government jobs, according to general secretary K Veeramani.

On information based on an RTI reply, Veeramani told reporters here that only 12 to 14 per cent government jobs were given to backward classes, which was far below the recommendations.His party, as part of its strategy for the year,would take up the issue at the national level with the support of other like-minded parties and organisations, he said. It would organise demonstrations and have other modes of agitation to get the recommendations implemented in toto.

DK would take up the issue of appointment of  the people belonging to all castes as priests in the temples in Tamil  Nadu, as was done in Kerala, he said.

There were already 206 candidates waiting for appointments in temples in the State, with required qualification, said Veeramani, who arrived here after participating in the three-day World Atheists’ Conference in Tiruchirapalli.