CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said that no person should be discriminated against on the basis of caste and hence the government launched the "all caste archakas" scheme.

Presiding over the wedding of 34 couples organized by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments departments at Mylapore in the city, Stalin said, "Everyone knows that our Dravidian model government marches on the principle of everything for everyone, mainly in education, industry, economy, society and faith. No person must be ostracised in the name of caste. Hence, the legislation for making people of all castes as archakas was enforced."

Referring to the appointment of 17 SC/ST members, including eight women as Archakas in Rajasthan recently, Stalin said the Madras High Court has recently delivered a historic verdict upholding that members of any caste duly trained could become archakas. "This is the principle of everything for everyone. The intention of our regime has been acknowledged by the court and accepted by other states in the country, " the CM added.

Remarking that the incumbent regime is the golden era of the HR and CE department, the CM listed out the achievements of the departments, including the allocation of Rs 100 crore for renovating 112 temples older than 1,000 years during the last couple of years and said that his government was functioning with the intent to ensure development in all sectors and the state HR and CE department was also competing with other departments in respect of performance.