SDPI demands more Muslim ministers in TVK government

The SDPI has called for increased Muslim representation in Tamil Nadu's cabinet, urging the government to allocate at least five Muslim ministers with key portfolios.

Welcoming the inclusion of IUML's AM Shahjahan and VCK's Vanni Arasu into the TVK-led Tamil Nadu cabinet, SDPI on Saturday said that some communities have been allocated more places in the ministry when compared to their population share, and the Muslim's representation remains very low.

''The government has a duty to ensure fair representation for all communities'', SDPI said in a release.

Stating that a few more Muslim MLAs from the ruling TVK should be made ministers, SDPI said that the ruling party, which claims to uphold social justice, should ensure its ministry has at least five Muslim ministers.

''Further, Muslim ministers should not be confined only to the customary, narrow portfolio of Minority Welfare simply because of their names'', the SDPI said. In the neighbouring Kerala, where the Muslim League is part of the ruling alliance, Muslim ministers have been given important portfolios.

''Along the same lines, Muslim ministers in Tamil Nadu should be considered for key departments that shape government policy, such as education, industry, and revenue'', it said, adding ''power-sharing and equitable portfolio allocation are the only ways to secure genuine social justice.

''We therefore urge the chief minister to consider this demand and assign appropriate responsibilities to ensure fair representation of the Muslim community in the cabinet,'' the release added.