Fri Jan 17 10:16:52 UTC 2025: ## DMK Government’s Arunthathiyar Reservation Law Praised as Milestone in Social Justice
**Chennai, January 17, 2025** – Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister M. Mathiventhan lauded the DMK government’s enactment of a law providing 3% reservation within the Scheduled Castes quota for Arunthathiyars. Speaking on Friday, he highlighted the law’s positive impact on the community, particularly in access to medical and technical education, as detailed in a recent *The Hindu* article.
Mr. Mathiventhan attributed the success to the leadership of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, drawing parallels to the policies of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, under whose tenure (2006-2011) the law was passed. He contrasted this with the stance of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who opposed the internal reservation. He noted that the Supreme Court upheld the legislation last year.
The Minister emphasized the historical commitment of the Dravidian movement to social justice, tracing it back to the Justice Party government’s landmark “Communal G.O.”, the country’s first reservation legislation. He linked the DMK’s current policies to the legacy of the Madras Reservation Act of 1928, asserting that the DMK continues the work of the Justice Party in furthering opportunities for all sections of society.
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