TVK members made ministers without caste consideration: Tamil Nadu minister Ramesh amid Brahmin identity remark

Reacting to remarks over his Brahmin identity, Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister S Ramesh on Saturday clarified that 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.

One among the two Brahmin ministers in the party, Ramesh was elected as MLA from the Srirangam Assembly constituency in the April 23 election on a TVK ticket.

Responding to remarks that his caste identity played a major role in his appointment to the department, Ramesh said the votes were given as a mandate for party chief Vijay and not for individual party members.

"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. The same perception was extended to the party candidates and ministers."

The minister further claimed that the party follows the principles of reformers Periyar E V Ramasamy and B R Ambedkar and denied that posts were allotted based on caste consideration.

"No posts were given to us based on caste consideration. We accepted the principles of reformers Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and B. R. Ambedkar when we joined the party. Our principles are secularism and social justice and hence there is no caste, religious or gender discrimination. We were made ministers based on our motive to serve," he added.