Change the name of Adi Dravidar Welfare Department, says Krishnasamy

Puthiya Tamilagam founder K. Krishnasamy on Tuesday said the name  “Adi Dravidar Welfare Department” should be changed as it refers to “one particular” community within the list of Scheduled Castes.

In a statement, he said the Union Government had given the generic name ‘Social Justice Department’ to denote a list of departments serving the welfare and interests of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes across 28 states.

“Only in Tamil Nadu, about 50 years ago, the list of 76 castes, including the Devendrakula Vellalars, under the Scheduled Caste category was given the name ‘Adi Dravidar’, which is the name of a particular Paraiyar caste. The term ‘Adi Dravidar’ is a name that the Paraiyars, who were then included in the ‘Panchamar’ category, sought and obtained from the British government in 1921. It does not denote the other 76 caste communities within the Scheduled Caste category,” he said.

“The present government has appropriately renamed the department as the ‘Social Justice Department.’ However, we have also condemned the fact that, in the documents (Policy Note) relating to the Demands for Grants for the Social Justice Department tabled in the Legislative Assembly, the department’s Minister deliberately continued to refer to it as ‘Adi Dravidar Welfare Department’,” he said.

Dr. Krishnasamy said the Commission and department should not function under the name of a particular caste.

In response, VCK general secretary D. Ravikumar said, “The term “Aadi Dravida” is an identity that rejects caste. It is not the name of a caste! Likewise, “Devendrakula Vellalar” is not the name of a caste; it is also an identity created in rejection of a caste name. This history can be learned by examining the reports of the population census conducted during British rule.”