DMK government’s legislation for Arunthathiyars a milestone in path towards social justice: T.N. Minister

The DMK government — when M. Karunanidhi was Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011 — enacting a law to provide 3% reservation to Arunthathiyars within the 18% quota of Scheduled Castes (SC) has had a lasting impact on the community and is a milestone in the party’s ambitious path towards social justice, Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare M. Mathiventhan said on Friday (January 17, 2025).

The DMK government — when M. Karunanidhi was Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011 — enacting a law to provide 3% reservation to Arunthathiyars within the 18% quota of Scheduled Castes (SC) has had a lasting impact on the community and is a milestone in the party’s ambitious path towards social justice, Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare M. Mathiventhan said on Friday (January 17, 2025).

Citing an article published by The Hindu, outlining how internal reservation has benefitted Arunthathiyars in medical and technical education, Mr. Mathiventhan credited the initiatives of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, guided by principles of late leader Karunanidhi.

Recalling former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s contention that the State government could not provide internal reservation to Arunthathiyars, Mr. Mathiventhan pointed to the legal steps taken by the DMK government in this regard. A seven-member Supreme Court bench upheld Tamil Nadu’s legislation last year, he said.

Underlining the strong association of the Dravidian movement with the history of social justice in Tamil Nadu, the Minister recalled it was under the then Justice Party government that the ‘Communal G.O.’ was passed, which was the first in the history of reservation in legislature in the country.

The Minister said it was because of the Madras Reservation Act, 1928, that people from all sections benefitted with regard to opportunities in politics, education, and employment. “The DMK government is only the extension of that Justice Party,” Mr. Mathiventhan contended.