Caste survey within State’s ambit; if DMK govt fails to act, protests will rock TN, warns PMK

CHENNAI: Hailing former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for ensuring legislative measures to protect 69 per cent reservation, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the DMK government of some political will in ordering a caste survey in the upcoming Budget session, failing which, he warned that the incumbent will face harsh protests across the State.

The PMK leader spelt out the differences between the caste survey and caste census and asserted that the State has all the rights to conduct the first one.

PMK will rope in like-minded political parties for the State-wide agitation if the government fails to heed demands, Anbumani said.

Speaking at a stir in Chennai on Thursday demanding a caste-based survey, Anbumani said that the joint protest was a wake-up call for Chief Minister MK Stalin. “Constructing Tidel parks and malls alone is not development. Development among the people and ensuring social justice are the true indicators of growth. If the Stalin government had any concern about social justice, it should have collected the social status of various castes. The fundamental goal of social justice is surveying the status of various castes,” he said.

“We are demanding a caste-based survey, not a census. Moreover, we are also demanding the central government conduct a caste survey along with a population census. Like Bihar and Telangana, caste-based surveys should be conducted in Tamil Nadu also under the Indian Statistics Act of 2008,” Anbumani added at the meeting, joined by ‘Poovai’ Jagan Moorthy of Puratchi Bharatham and Ravi Pachamuthu of IJK.

Saying that based on the results of the caste-based survey in Bihar, a special scheme is being implemented for families with an income of less than Rs 6,000 per month, Anbumani underscored that a caste survey is essential for social welfare schemes. “Jayalalithaa ensured an amendment in the Constitution and protected 69 per cent reservation. She did what no one could. If she had not done that, we would have been left with only a 50 per cent reservation. If the present dispensation fails now to conduct a caste survey, 69 per cent reservation will be affected,” he warned.

The PMK chief added that whenever the party put forth their caste survey demand to M Karunanidhi, MGR, Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K Palaniswami, at least they assured the conduct of it. “But, Stalin is the only Chief Minister to claim that the State has no power to conduct the survey.”