Highest ever count of Dalit ministers in TN cabinet as Chezhian gets higher education portfolio

However, the move has invited criticism with PMK founder S Ramadoss labelling it a “cosmetic change” and calling on the DMK-led government to allocate at least five ministerial posts to Dalits

TIRUCHY: With the induction of Govi Chezhian, the state cabinet now has four ministers from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, the highest ever. Chezhian’s inclusion as the Minister for Higher Education also marks a significant moment in the state’s history as he is the first ever from the SC community to hold the portfolio. M Mathiventhan, N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, and CV Ganesan, are the other ministers from the SC community in the state cabinet.

However, the move has invited criticism with PMK founder S Ramadoss labelling it a “cosmetic change” and calling on the DMK-led government to allocate at least five ministerial posts to Dalits, given that 21 DMK MLAs belong to the SC/ST community. Ramadoss also pointed out that Govi Chezhian is the first Dalit minister to handle a major portfolio since Sathyavani Muthu and OP Raman in the 1971 Karunanidhi cabinet.

Writer R Kannan, author of The DMK Years, noted that since the time of Omandurar and Kamarajar, one or two ministers from the SC community consistently held cabinet positions, often managing the SC Welfare Department. “Kamaraj trusted Kakkan with key portfolios such as Home and Industry. Also, Parameshwaran as HR&CE minister. When Karunanidhi reshuffled his cabinet in 1969 he took the number of the SC ministers from one to two,” he said.

Despite the expansion of the cabinet during MGR’s tenure (1977-87), the number of Dalit ministers remained limited, with only two throughout his period. The allocation of the Industries portfolio to P Soundarapandian in 1980 was a notable exception, he added.

Kannan also observed a shift in representation after the rise of caste-based politics, which saw key positions going to caste Hindus in both the DMK and AIADMK governments.

On the latest cabinet rejig, writer Stalin Rajangam argued that the appointment of Dalits to key ministries, such as Higher Education and Human Resources, is a response to VCK’s demands for power-sharing within the DMK-led alliance.

Punitha Pandian, editor of Dalit Murasu, attributed the change to decades of cultural and social movements advocating Dalit empowerment, particularly since the Ambedkar centenary celebrations in the past 25 years. He said that mainstream society has become more conscious of Dalit issues, reflected in popular culture and now, in political appointments.

Courtesy : TNIE

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