CHENNAI: Taking strong objection to the union government’s ‘PM Vishwakarma Scheme’, the DMK leaders have said the initiative would force youth to follow their family’s traditional professions and dissuade them from pursuing high-paying careers. The state government has also constituted a four-member committee to assess the potential impact of the scheme on artisans’ education and social mobility.
Subsequent to the union government recently allocating `13,000 crore for the implementation of the Vishwakarma scheme, the Dravidar Kazhagam with the support of the DMK alliance parties, held a demonstration against the scheme. During a meeting of party MPs on Saturday, the DMK also passed a resolution to oppose the scheme.
DMK’s Engineers Wing secretary K Karunanidhi told TNIE, “According to the rules and regulations of the scheme, it would provide support only for family-based traditional trades. In other words, it would encourage caste-based traditions and eventually consolidate casteism, in the guise of supporting handicrafts and artisans among 18 OBC communities. Meanwhile, the Dravidian Model government in TN is assisting first-generation graduates and college goers since it wants youth to pursue higher education and make strides.”
Other DMK leaders also echoed the view. The party MPs have been directed to vehemently oppose the scheme in the upcoming parliamentary special session. Dr GR Ravindranath, general secretary of the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, said the scheme would prevent youth in these communities from pursuing academically skilled professions.
Speaking to TNIE, G Karunanidhy, general secretary of the AIOBC employees federation, said, “This scheme will perpetuate caste-based occupations. The public sector banks are already offering loans to street vendors and artisans. So, identifying people now based on their caste-based hereditary occupations like barbers and carpenters, and making 18 years as eligible age for assistance will persuade students from these castes to discontinue their studies and take up hereditary occupations.”
Pointing out that most members in their caste didn’t wish their children to become barbers, R Alagiri, a functionary of the hairdressers association in Tiruchy district, told TNIE, “Our profession is the main reason we are facing discrimination in the society. We want our children to become tech-savvy and reach new heights. Hence, our community would not welcome this scheme.”
What The Scheme Says