CHENNAI: CPI State secretary R Mutharasan on Wednesday demanded the State government to revive the social reform department created by late chief minister M Karunanidhi during 2006-11 to propagate social reform and scientific ideas.

“In recent times, there has been an increase in promoting conservative ideas and reviving obsolete superstitions and customs in the State. There is a threat of giving scientific validation to retrograde caste and communal ideas to undermine the rationalist ideas carefully cultivated and ingrained in the people for over a century,” he said.

“Multinational conglomerates and financial capital forces, which influence the power center, are making various efforts to stabilise the social divide with the help of the communal right-wing forces sitting in power in the Union government. All mediums like movies, plays, and small-screen serials are being used. They create various organisations in the name of spiritualism to gather people in temples and worship centres and mislead them,” he said, adding that in the situation, the CPI emphasises that it is the need of the hour for the Tamil Nadu government to take forward the social awareness movement.

The ‘Social Reforms Department’ set up in the past under Kalaignar Karunanidhi regime should be streamlined and made to function fully. A special department should be created to formulate and implement a special program for social reform and comprehensive implementation of scientific ideas,” he demanded.