TVK members made ministers without caste consideration: TN min Ramesh

TVK members were made ministers in the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Cabinet without caste consideration and based on the party's secular and social justice principles, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister S Ramesh said on Saturday.

Reacting to a charge that he was made minister for the department only because he is a Brahmin, Ramesh said people gave a mandate for Vijay to form the government and not for individuals in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

''Neither I nor Assembly Deputy Speaker Ravi Shankar, who is with me now, received votes based on our caste identity but because of the leadership of the chief minister. People considered the CM as one among their family beyond caste and religion. And the same perception was extended to the party candidates and ministers,'' Ramesh told reporters here.

''No posts were given to us based on caste consideration. We accepted the principles of reformer Periyar (EV) Ramasamy and B R Ambedkar when we joined the party. Our principles are secular social justice and hence there is no caste, religious or gender discrimination. We were made ministers based on our service motive,'' he added.

Though a resident of Maraimalai Nagar in Chengalpattu near Chennai, Ramesh was elected as MLA from Srirangam Assembly constituency in the April 23 election on TVK ticket. He is among the two Brahmins who were made ministers. The other is P Venkataraman who won from Mylapore constituency, which has a sizable number of Brahmins.

Venkataraman has been made Minister for Food and Civil Supplies.

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