Change the name of Adi Dravidar Welfare Department: Puthiya Tamilagam leader Krishnasamy
Puthiya Tamilagam leader K. Krishnasamy has called for the renaming of the 'Adi Dravidar Welfare Department' in Tamil Nadu, arguing the term refers to a specific caste rather than the broader Scheduled Caste community. The proposal has sparked debate, with VCK general secretary D. Ravikumar defending the term as an identity that rejects caste-based divisions.
Why it matters
The debate highlights ongoing tensions regarding caste-based nomenclature and social identity politics in Indian governance.
Puthiya Tamilagam founder K. Krishnasamy on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) said the name ‘Adi Dravidar Welfare Department’ should be changed as it refers to “one particular” community within the list of Scheduled Castes.
In a statement, he said the Union Government had given the generic name ‘Social Justice Department’ to denote a list of departments serving the welfare and interests of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes across 28 States.
“Only in Tamil Nadu, about 50 years ago, the list of 76 castes, including the Devendrakula Vellalars, under the Scheduled Caste category was given the name ‘Adi Dravidar’, which is the name of a particular Paraiyar caste. The term ‘Adi Dravidar’ is a name that the Paraiyars, who were then included in the ‘Panchamar’ category, sought and obtained from the British government in 1921. It does not denote the other 76 caste communities within the Scheduled Caste category,” he said.
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