CHENNAI: There was a brief debate in the state Assembly on Friday over the appropriate term to refer to Scheduled Caste communities. The issue arose during the discussion on the motion thanking the governor’s address, when AIADMK MLA V Sampathkumar from Harur used the term “suppressed people” while referring to the Scheduled Castes.
Intervening, Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the MLA had used the term several times and requested members to avoid it. He said SC communities should instead be referred to as ‘Scheduled Caste people’ or ‘Adi Dravidar people’. He added that MLAs need not use words that could be seen as lowering the dignity of a community.
Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu joined the discussion and offered a different view. He said the term ‘Dalit’ had been widely promoted by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi as part of its struggle against caste discrimination. According to him, the word had become a symbol of unity for oppressed communities across India and represented more than just a label.
Vanni Arasu said the term had helped bring together people facing caste-based discrimination and had gained socio-political significance over the years. Referring to debates involving Dr B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi on how marginalised communities should be addressed, he said names and identities carried political and social meaning.
At the same time, the minister said there was nothing wrong in using the term ‘Adi Dravidar’, as it was also officially recognised and linked to the name of the government department dealing with the welfare of these communities.
The discussion ended without any formal decision, but highlighted differing views on the terminology used to refer to SC communities.