L Murugan urges DMK govt to conduct caste survey like Bihar

CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan on Tuesday urged the DMK government to conduct a caste survey, like the Bihar government.

Talking to reporters at the airport in Chennai, Murugan said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has protected social justice by cancelling the lateral entry system in the UPSC recruitment. Chief Minister MK Stalin should conduct the caste census in Tamil Nadu as the one done in Bihar recently.”

Lauding Modi, the BJP MP said, "PM Modi is the guardian of social justice. Wherever he goes around the world, he cites Thiruvalluvar and speaks proudly about Tamil."

“An MoU has been signed today to set up a Chair for Thiruvalluvar in the Universiti Malaya. PM Modi is working for Tamil culture, Tamil literature and Tamil writers," he noted.

He also informed that he would not take part in the Muthamizh Murugan Maanadu as the ruling DMK government didn't invite him.

‘Act tough on sexual assaults’

Later, talking to reporters at Thoothukudi airport, he condemned sexual assault on a schoolgirl in Krishnagiri and a similar crime in Coimbatore recently and said, the state government should be tough on such issues and crack down on perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

Responding to a query on Udhayanidhi Stalin, Youth Welfare Minister, who’s been speculated as a possible choice of becoming Deputy Chief Minister, Union Minister Murugan said it could make no difference in Tamil Nadu.

The central government is according priority to key development projects, including a new rocket launch port at Kulasekarapattinam and infrastructure developments at VO Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi. Apart from these developments, he said Thoothukudi airport is witnessing expansion works with a larger runway to accommodate bigger aircraft such as Airbus. The upcoming facility would be better than that of the runway in Chennai. As for the railway development, Prime Minister Modi laid foundation for the redevelopment of Thoothukudi and Tiruchendur stations and also for doubling between Madurai and Thoothukudi.