Dalit office-bearers of the DMK have appealed to the party’s restructuring committee to provide a 20% reservation for Dalits in the influential district secretary posts.
They pointed out that Dalit representation in the post is currently minimal. Of the 77 district secretaries now in place, only three are from the Dalit community, they said.
Following an electoral setback, the DMK has increased the number of district secretary positions to 110. In this context, the Dalit functionaries have sought a fixed share of posts, especially in districts that include constituencies with a large Dalit population.
The office-bearers argued that despite the party’s emphasis on social justice, inadequate representation has affected the DMK’s performance in northern districts, including Chennai, where Dalits form a significant share of the population. They also said the party’s wins in 11 constituencies were aided by its ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.
With internal elections due for district secretary posts, they expressed concern that money power and caste influence could dominate the outcome, and reiterated their demand for a 20% quota in relevant districts.
