CHENNAI: In a bid to protest against the Union government’s proposal to implement the Vishwakarma scheme and allocation of Rs 13,000 crore for the purpose, Dravidar Kazhagam has called for a protest on September 6.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday, DK president K Veeramani said, “Under the guise of supporting traditional artisans and craftspeople of rural and urban India, the scheme could potentially compel young individuals to follow their family’s traditional professions, consequently reinforcing caste and trade hierarchy. So, to create a casteless society, this scheme should be opposed. To strongly condemn this, the DK and other democratic and progressive forces will stage protest on September 6 in Chennai. The next course of protest will be announced after consultation with democratic forces.”
The scheme, which would be launched on September 17, would be implemented by three ministries — MSME, Skill Development and Finance. Skilled workmen will be given training for 4-5 days to upgrade their skill, following which they will become eligible for loan.