Tiruchi: Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister Ramesh on Friday rejected allegations that cabinet portfolios in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government were allotted based on caste.
Ramesh, who won from the Srirangam constituency and was appointed HR&CE Minister by Chief Minister Vijay, faced criticism that the department was assigned to him because he belongs to the Brahmin community. Responding to the controversy, he said TVK’s primary principle is secularism and that no one in the party was given responsibilities based on caste.
In an interview in Tiruchi, the minister said he considers E.V. Ramasamy, known for his anti-caste stance, as his ideological leader. He added that party members joined only after affirming there would be no discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, race, language, money or gender, and that opportunities were given based on a willingness to serve.
On the HR&CE department’s priorities, Ramesh said officials have been instructed to take steps to reduce crowding and long waiting times at temples. He also said temple properties and land encroachments would be reviewed one by one and recovered, with him directly monitoring the process.
The minister said any past irregularities in temples would be corrected. He added that issues related to land tenure in Srirangam and Thiruvanaikaval would be studied, and asked for time to address them.
