AIADMK govt played vital role in getting judicial validity for internal reservation for Arunthathiyar, says former Speaker Dhanapal

CHENNAI: AIADMK organising secretary and former Speaker P Dhanapal on Tuesday claimed that the AIADMK is the true protector of the Arunthathiyar community and it played a pivotal role in their uplift through revolutionary schemes and policies during its regime.

The AIADMK regime under Edappadi K Palaniswami constituted a 20-member experts' committee and also roped in senior advocates in 2020 to defend the international reservation and secured judicial validity through an interim order.

This paved the way for the seven-member constitutional bench's recent order in favor of international reservation.

However, the ruling DMK government is claiming credit for the 3% internal reservation for Arunthathiyar among the 18% reservation for the Scheduled Castes, said Dhanapal in a statement.

He criticised the present dispensation that it is not sincere in social justice and the crime against marginalised and oppressed communities by stating that it denied 6% reservation for Arunthathiyars as per their representation of the community among the Scheduled castes.

He demanded the state government publish a white-on crime against the marginalised sections of society.

He also recalled that the AIADMK regime under party founder M G Ramachandran undid the evil practice such as Aandan-Adimai and appointed persons from the oppressed community as village administrative officers to ensure social justice.

Meanwhile AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, in a statement, said that party headquarters secretaries and district secretaries meeting would be held on August 9 at party headquarters. He asked them to attend the meeting without fail.