Political commentator Stalin Rajangam mentioned it was the result of Dalit assertion and the rising power of VCK within the state.
“There isn’t any historical past of any welfare being undertaken for the Dalits with out strain from outdoors. Should you have a look at a collection of Dalit points within the state, there was a notion within the state that DMK shouldn’t be lending its ears to Dalit points. They’re making an attempt to rectify previous errors,” mentioned Rajangam, including that VCK’s discussions on power-sharing additionally performed a task.
DMK Kancheepuram MLA and college students wing state secretary C.V.M.P. Ezhilarasan denied exterior strain. He mentioned it was an enlargement of the DMK’s mannequin of social justice governance.
VCK common secretary and MLA Sinthanai Chelvan mentioned this must be seen as a case of somebody being given the put up as a deserving candidate, not due to caste or celebration strain.
“Caste was not a hindrance for the deserving candidate is what it means. Had the federal government wished to extend the variety of SC (Scheduled Caste) ministers, they might have accomplished it on the time of forming the cupboard itself. There isn’t any want now to extend the numbers when all is effectively inside the authorities,” he mentioned.
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Politics of inducting Dalits in cupboard
Rumours across the VCK’s involvement in Chezhiaan’s induction into the cupboard adopted fortnight-long debates and discussions between the 2 events over power-sharing within the authorities.
Though VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan mentioned the alliance with DMK was intact, speculations over the discussions refused to die down. Thirumavalavan went on to elucidate that the alliance with the DMK was not over power-sharing or the variety of seats however to oppose Sanatana Dharma ideology propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP).
Political commentator and creator of the ebook The DMK Years: Ascent, Descent, Survival, R. Kannan mentioned the event was lengthy overdue and was going down due to societal strain.
“The rise of the Ambedkarite events and Dalit assertion can’t be separated. It occurred after the dying of former chief minister M.G. Ramachandran. The latest developments might be seen that DMK wished to stress that it’s inclusive of Dalits to achieve their assist and never lose them to the Ambedkarite events,” Kannan mentioned.
Chezhiaan’s induction into the Cupboard may be a political technique to offer larger illustration to the Adi Dravidars, dominant within the northern area of Tamil Nadu—the place VCK can also be extra highly effective. That is notably vital with the meeting elections scheduled for 2026.
Dravidian author and former head of Tamil division at Manonmaniam Sundaranar College, A. Ramasamy, mentioned it was a transfer to appease the Adi Dravidar group who largely assist the VCK.
“The societal strain can also be one of many causes so as to add Govi Chezhiaan as minister,” he added.
Nevertheless, the DMK denied any strain within the society to induct extra Dalits into the cupboard.
“We don’t differentiate anyone by their delivery. There are solely two varieties of individuals—those that got alternatives and people who have been denied alternatives. Those that have been denied alternatives are Dalits, regardless of the caste they have been born into. Our CM has chosen an individual who had been denied alternative for years,” mentioned Ezhilarasan, quoted earlier.
Portfolios of significance
Chezhiaan and Kayalvizhi Selvaraj have additionally been given portfolios of significance that have been often reserved for senior celebration members.
“In relation to greater schooling, senior minister Ok. Anbazhagan stored it for a very long time and after him, it was given to Ok. Ponmudi,” mentioned Ramasamy.
Equally, ever because the DMK got here to energy in 2021, it has been going through criticism for giving the Division of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare and never a extra distinguished portfolio to Selvaraj, a Dalit girl MLA.
Now, she has been allotted the Human Sources Division, whereas the Division of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare has been reassigned to Mathiventhan.
Tamil Puligal Katchi, an Ambedkarite celebration largely backed by the Arunthathiyar group, responded positively over the allocation of the division to an MLA from the Arunthathiyar group.
The Arunthathiyar group is essentially the most socially, politically, and economically disadvantaged among the many sub-castes within the Scheduled Caste, based on activists within the state.
Chezhiaan’s induction can also be being seen as an indication that the third technology of the DMK is up for revival and to take the social justice manner ahead.
Speaking concerning the elevation of Udhayanidhi Stalin to the put up of deputy chief minister along with the Cupboard reshuffle, Rajangam mentioned that it indicators the Dravidian celebration’s intention to do one thing for Tamil Nadu’s Dalit group.
A authorities supply on the State Fee for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes advised ThePrint that the federal government was eager to deal with problems with the 2 communities.
“The state vigilance and monitoring committee that was imagined to convene as soon as in six months had occurred solely twice throughout the 10 years of AIADMK authorities. Nevertheless, up to now three years, the committee, headed by the Chief Minister, has convened 9 occasions,” the supply mentioned.
The state authorities will even announce a monitoring committee inside every week to observe the funds spent and distributed via the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP). “They’re arising with a solution to carry ahead the unused fund from a specific yr to the following and the announcement is probably going in every week,” the supply mentioned.
The SCSP is a Centre-backed initiative to make sure a focused movement of economic and bodily advantages to the Scheduled Caste communities. Below the scheme, the state authorities can select the schemes it desires to implement from a Particular Central Help.
Historical past of Dalits in Tamil Nadu cupboard
From the time Omandur Ramasami Reddiar took cost because the premier of the Madras Presidency (present-day Tamil Nadu, components of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh) on 24 March 1947 until just a few days in the past, the state has solely had a most of three Dalit Cupboard ministers.
The Madras Presidency bought its first Dalit Minister, B. Parameswaran, the grandson of Rettaimalai Srinivasan, a Dalit icon within the state, solely in 1949 when Kumaraswamy Raja took cost because the premier.
Nevertheless, even then, Parameswaran was not given a distinguished portfolio. He was solely allotted fisheries, cottage industries, khadi, and firka (income block) improvement, together with Harijan upliftment portfolios.
Nevertheless, after Ok. Kamaraj got here to energy in 1954, he introduced in P Kakkan—elevating the variety of Dalit ministers to 2. “He was given distinguished portfolios together with Residence Affairs, Public Works and Agriculture Division over a time frame,” mentioned author Kannan.
With the rise of the Dravidian motion within the state, the DMK got here to energy in 1967 however inducted just one minister from the Scheduled Caste—Satyavani Muthu, who was solely given the Harijan Welfare and Info division.
Later, throughout a Cupboard reshuffle, after the dying of the previous Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi additionally introduced in O.P. Ramana into the Cupboard. Ramana was additionally within the Cupboard when DMK got here to energy for the second time in 1972.
“To the credit score of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, it was he who modified the identify of the division from Harijan Welfare Division to Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare division,” Kannan mentioned.
The arithmetic of limiting ministers from the Scheduled Caste to at least one or two remained the identical even throughout the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) rule beneath former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.
In keeping with Kannan, it was after the dying of Ramachandran that the caste-based events within the state began to mushroom resulting in the rise of Dalit assertion.
“It was throughout the Nineteen Nineties that Devendra Kula Vellalars led by Dr Krishnaswamy organised beneath one umbrella and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi led by Thirumavalavan entered into the foray, giving a chance to claim the id of Dalits,” mentioned Kannan.
Within the 2000s, the state noticed a sudden shift within the Dalit illustration within the authorities and events. Because of this, the AIADMK authorities beneath former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa (2001-2006), assigned P. Dhanabal—who at first was given the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Division—the distinguished portfolio of the Meals and Co-operation Division.
In 2006, after DMK got here to energy, it launched a 3 p.c inside reservation for Dalits in 2009. “It pressured the following AIADMK authorities that got here in energy in 2011 to maintain Dhanabal within the gentle to guard its picture,” Kannan mentioned. Dhanabal was the Deputy Speaker within the first yr and was later made the Speaker of the Meeting.
Nevertheless, over the last AIADMK authorities between 2016 and 2021, even with the inclusion of the Meeting Speaker, the Tamil Nadu Cupboard had solely three individuals from the Dalit group—two ministers and one speaker.
The DMK, when it got here to energy in 2021, inducted three ministers from the SC group. Now, with the addition of Chezhiaan, the very best variety of Dalits within the Cupboard within the historical past of the Tamil Nadu Meeting.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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