Announce caste-based survey in upcoming Budget session, Anbumani urges T.N. govt.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (February 20, 2025) said real social justice lies in conducting a caste-based survey and implementing measures at a micro level using that data for the welfare of people

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday (February 20, 2025) said real social justice lies in conducting a caste-based survey and implementing measures at a micro level using that data for the welfare of people

Speaking at a demonstration in Chennai organised by the PMK and a few other parties demanding that the State government conduct a caste-based survey in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Anbumani said: “Development doesn’t mean only constructing highways, TIDEL parks, and high rise buildings. Actual development lies in micro-level interventions. For such a targeted approach, data through a caste-based survey is the need of the hour.”

He said his party has been demanding a caste-based survey for several decades. The Union government can enumerate the headcount of the population of a particular community during the decadal census but only the State governments can collect data on the socio-economic status of the people under the provisions of the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, the PMK leader said.

Citing the examples of Bihar and Telangana, where the State governments recently conducted caste-based surveys, Dr. Anbumani urged the Tamil Nadu government to announce a similar exercise during the upcoming Budget session. He also threatened to launch State-wide protests, if the government failed to do so.

The protesters raised slogans against the DMK government alleging that it has been acting against the principles of social justice. Leaders and workers of Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Purtachi Bharatham, Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi, Puthiya Needhi Katchi, and several other outfits were also present.

In a separate statement, Dr. Anbumani criticised Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for making “contradicting statements” regarding fulfilment of the DMK’s poll promises. He said, “The Chief Minister has been claiming that nearly 90% of the poll promises made by the DMK in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly election has been fulfilled. But in reality, not even 10% of the promises had been fulfilled.”

“What about the promises of providing five lakh government jobs and 50 lakh private jobs, monthly calculation of electricity tariff, 75% reservation in jobs in private companies to locals, education loan waiver, scrapping National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), increasing guaranteed man-days of work under MGNREGA to 150 days, and live broadcast of the proceedings of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly,” he asked.