CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan on Monday asserted that minority communities in Tamil Nadu would extend their support to the AIADMK-led NDA in the upcoming Assembly elections, similar to the support the BJP enjoys in North Eastern states and Goa.
Addressing the media after inspecting the ESIC Medical College and Hospital in KK Nagar here, Murugan dismissed claims by the DMK and TVK that minorities would not back the BJP.
"Minority communities have been supporting the BJP in states like Goa and the Northeast, where they form a sizable demographic. We are confident they will back the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu as well, " he said.
Criticising Chief Minister M K Stalin's move to rename student hostels under various government departments as "Social Justice Hostels, " Murugan called it a "political gimmick."
He said the hostels lacked basic amenities and dignity for SC/ST students.
"When I served as vice-chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), I personally visited several hostels. The condition in Tamil Nadu is appalling—students suffer from skin infections due to unhygienic facilities, " he added.
The BJP leader urged Stalin to visit hostels in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, as well as those in Karnataka and Telangana, to witness superior infrastructure.
The minister also highlighted issues such as continued untouchability in rural Tamil Nadu, closure of Anganwadi centres in tribal belts of Ooty, frequent industrial mishaps in Sivakasi, and alleged custodial excesses in Sivaganga, calling for police reform and administrative accountability.