Hold caste census in TN, says L Murugan

In a recent statement, Union Minister of State L Murugan accused DMK president MK Stalin of undermining the unity within the INDIA bloc, alleging that Stalin, as part of the national alliance, initiated actions suggesting he would unilaterally choose the next Prime Minister. Murugan emphasized that Stalin’s stance raised questions about his acceptance of Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate. He also questioned whether Stalin was proposing alternative candidates such as Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, or Udhayanidhi Stalin for the role. Murugan labeled the INDIA bloc as an unstable alliance in light of these developments. Further, the Union Minister urged the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu to conduct a caste census, asserting that it is essential for ensuring social justice. Murugan argued that the ruling DMK’s claims of being custodians of social justice were deceptive and stressed the importance of a caste census similar to the one completed in Bihar following the Mandal Commission’s report. Addressing recent controversial remarks made by BJP leader and National Commission for Women member Khushbu, Murugan defended her use of the term ‘Cheri,’ stating that it also means village/town in Tamil. He argued that ‘Cheri’ is not exclusive to any particular caste and insisted that the controversy surrounding Khushbu’s comments was unnecessary, accusing the Congress of engaging in divisive politics.