CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday fulfilled the promise he made to Divya, a student from the Narikuravar community, by visiting her house at Paruthipattu village near Avadi and partook of a meal served by the girl’s family.
The Chief Minister had spoken to a few girls, including Divya, over phone as a goodwill gesture a few weeks ago after a video of the girls narrating tales of prejudice faced by them went viral on social media.
When the Chief Minister said the food was very tasty, the woman of the house thanked him for his kindness and said she could not believe if it was a dream or reality.
As Stalin entered the settlement near Avadi on the outskirts of Chennai, students from the community presented him ‘paasi mani’ (trinkets) and flowers. As soon as the CM entered the small house, the Narikuravar woman offered him tea and told him that she had prepared idli, vada, chutney, murungaikkai-kathirikkai sambar (sambar made of moringa and brinjal) and naatukozhi kuzhambu (gravy made of country chicken) and requested him to have them. She then served the food to the CM on a plate and Stalin fed a morsel of the food to a small girl standing next to him.
The CM tasted the food and asked the woman whether they are used to taking spicy food. At this, the woman laughed and said, “Only because we have such hot food, we don’t get cold, fever and other ailments.”
A few minutes later, speaking at a public function to distribute welfare assistance to Narikuravar, Stalin said, “I learnt a piece of health advice from a sister who served food to me. She said even Covid-infection could not affect them because of their spicy food. Hereafter, I too am going to add more hot and spicy dishes to my menu.”
Speaking at the event, the CM recalled how Aswini, a Narikuravar woman, was denied food at a temple near Mamallapuram a few months ago and how he had asked the HR &CE Minister to dine with her at the same temple. Stalin also recalled how he had directed all district collectors to reach out to Narikuravars and other tribals and send reports on their needs.
The CM listed out the welfare measures initiated for the community over the past five months — new concrete houses for 2,84,000 families, toilets for 701 families, drinking water connection to 2,91,000 houses, power connection to 226 houses, free house site pattas to 5,991 families, family cards to 7,824 families, health insurance coverage to 2,860 families, voter identity cards to 9.468 persons, community certificates to 15,290 persons, welfare board identity cards to 3,437 persons, differently-abled cards to 465 persons, old age pension to 3,147 persons, differently-abled pension to 339 persons.
“This is a big achievement in a short time. But I’m not denying there is a lot to be done for the welfare of the marginalised. We will do more,” the CM said. On his way back to the city, Stalin paid a surprise visit to T1 Ambattur police station and enquired about the action taken on complaints from the people and also inspected the register of cases.