Urge Centre to hold caste census: DMK dares PMK

CHENNAI: Hitting back at the PMK and its leaders on the issue of Vanniyar reservation, the DMK on Wednesday dared PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led regime at the Centre to immediately conduct a caste-based decennial population census.

The ruling DMK also questioned the rise of Anbumani Ramadoss as the President of PMK, sidelining many seniors in the party.

Taking strong exception to PMK founder Dr Ramadoss’ recent veiled critique of Udhayanidhi Stalin’s political rise vis-a-vis party general secretary Duraimurugan, State Transport Minister SS Sivasankar on Wednesday said, “If Anbumani Ramadoss is concerned about the welfare of the MBCs he must prevail over the BJP regime and ask the Modi regime he is in alliance with to immediately conduct a caste-based decennial population census. But that requires courage. Do they teach courage in the training camp in ThailaPuram? Will you ask the Modi regime to immediately conduct a population census? The people know that you will not do it.”

Remarking that PMK founder Dr Ramadoss and his dear son Anbumani, who use Vanniyars as a bargaining chip for their electoral negotiations, have geared up for another election, Sivasankar said that the people have categorically demonstrated in the last parliamentary election that they are not ready to be deceived forever.

Criticising Anbumani’s offer of unconditional support to the DMK in return for Vanniyar reservation, Sivasankar sought to know if Anbumani would come forward to quit the alliance of BJP, which impedes reservation, before that.

Accusing Anbumani Ramadas of urging the Tamil Nadu government to conduct a population census for ‘political gains’ even while supporting the BJP government which has not even commenced the decennial population census, Minister Sivasankar, in a detailed statement issued in his regard, said that there were numerous examples to suggest that only the decennial census done by the union government would be accepted by the courts and other institutions as an official census, and such a census done by the State government would only remain a survey.

Anbumani Ramadas has comfortably forgotten the ruling of the High Court, striking down a reservation provided based on a survey done by the Bihar State government, the DMK minister added.

Reiterating that the PMK made a bogus announcement (10.5% reservation for Vanniyars) in haste to ally with the AIADMK in 2021, Sivasankar asked, “Was Dr Ramadoss, who claims to know everything, not aware then that the 10.5% reservation announced by the AIADMK regime would be struck down by the court? He knew it. He deceived the people knowingly. The father and son have allied with the BJP, which is desperate to eliminate reservation, for their political gains and still they are pretending to be in favour of reservation.”

Will you only make Anbumani a union minister?

Stating that Anbumani has shed crocodile tears for Vanniyars by referring to DMK general secretary Duraimurugan, Sivasankar said, “They ink electoral pact with allies for an additional Rajya Sabha seat and give it to Anbumani alone. Will Dr Ramadoss only give the union minister position to his son Anbumani Ramadoss? How long would it take for us to wonder if this was Dr Ramadoss’ affection for Vanniyars?

“Why was Anbumani Ramadoss made the next president of the PMK despite the party having many Senior leaders like G K Mani and A K Moorthy who worked hard for the party for years? Where did Dheeran who occupied the post of President of PMK disappear? Why was the post of president held by G K Mani snatched and given to Anbumani Ramadoss? How long would it take for us to wonder if no one worked hard in the PMK like Anbumani Ramadas did? You gave up on Kaduvetti guru, who sacrificed his life for the PMK, during the final years of his life. Do you deserve to talk about the love for Vanniyars? What is the status of Kaduvetti Guru’s family now?” asked the DMK minister.