Addressing caste-based discrimination is a collective responsibility of society, with governments bearing a greater duty to ensure social justice and accountability. However, the ruling DMK, which projects itself as a champion of social justice, has been accused of keeping members of a nomadic community away and denying them entry into a community dining event held to mark the death anniversary of DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, February 3 at Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
As per reports, Tamil Nadu’s HR and CE department authorities and DMK party members were alleged to have denied entry to five children belonging to the nomadic Narikuravar community at a community feast, described as an equality lunch, organised at Nellaipper Temple in Tirunelveli to mark C.N. Annadurai’s death anniversary.
The incident triggered political controversy over the government’s treatment of scheduled tribe and Scheduled caste communities. The DMK, which positions itself as a proponent of social justice governance, has faced criticism over the incident. Party leaders, however, rejected the allegation and described it as false propaganda.
Subsequently, Hindu Munnani representatives took the children to the temple premises and arranged a feast for them, as part of responsible act to assert in actions of inclusive social conduct.
Writer Ma Venkatesan questioned the incident in a post on X, asking whether this reflected social justice under the DMK.
— Ma.Venkatesan (@MaVeWriter) February 3, 2026
Videos purportedly showing the children standing outside the venue circulated widely on social media, and sections of the mainstream media reported on the issue while seeking clarification from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department which organized the programme.
In an official statement, the HR&CE department said that to mark former Chief Minister Annadurai’s death anniversary on February 3, a Samabandhi free meal programme began at 12.30 pm, attended by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, the Tirunelveli Corporation Mayor, the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE, and other officials, with food served to 792 people.
The department denied that children from the nomadic community were refused entry and issued a press release along with an eight-minute CCTV clip of the event. Activist David Raja and advocate V. Maharajan alleged that only a selected portion of the footage was released.
The activist went to the temple only when the children said that they were not being allowed.
The CCTV doesn't prove anything from the temple or the government's side .
The false case on David Raja must be dropped @CMOTamilnadu .@Tiphagne sir please intervene. https://t.co/gD7ZPSQVfm
— Shalin Maria Lawrence (@TheBluePen25) February 4, 2026
Senior BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilsai Soundararajan, in a post on X, alleged that Narikuravar (ST) children were not allowed to take the free meal inside the temple while senior functionaries were dining, and questioned the claim of “Dravidian Model Social Justice.”
Narikuravar (ST)Children not allowed to take free meal inside temple Hosted by HR&CE dept while TN assembly speaker Appavu & mayor were partaking meals ! Is this "Dravidal Model Social Justice " @mkstalin DMK @arivalayam on ground level? #DMKfails #DoubletongueDMK toGo… pic.twitter.com/oUQWRufg5P
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisai4BJP) February 4, 2026
The HR&CE department subsequently filed a police complaint against activist David Raja, alleging that he spread misinformation about the incident.
HR and CE department filed a police complaint against David Raja alleging he spread misinformation. He recorded and posted on social media a video of Narikuravar community children who claimed that Nellaiappar Temple staff denied them permission to partake in the free meal during… https://t.co/TGSxNYTu81 pic.twitter.com/z4wzEcwAQ6
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) February 4, 2026
David Raja, in response, released his version of the sequence of events and maintained that the ground situation differed from the official account.
CCTV footage will bring out facts: After the children were denied entry to partake in the free meal, activist David Raja brought them to HR and CE official Kavitha. However, instead of arranging food for the children, she allegedly left the temple premises in her car. “All the… https://t.co/W7oA3yb08T
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) February 4, 2026
On February 5, Hindu Munnani functionaries led by advocate Kutralanathan took the children to Nellaippar Temple, where they were ceremonially received, taken through temple corridors and sannadhis, and offered shawls, sacred ash, vermilion, and prasad items including garlands, apples, and sarkarai pongal. Hindu Munnani representatives said the gesture was meant to demonstrate inclusivity and protest the earlier alleged denial.
நரிக்குறவ மக்களுக்கு நெல்லையப்பர் கோயிலில் சிறப்பு மரியாதை..
நேற்று முன்தினம் நெல்லையப்பர் திருக்கோவிலில் திமுக அரசு சார்பில் சபாநாயகர் அப்பாவு தலைமையில் நடைபெற்ற சமபந்தி போஜனத்தில்..
நரிக்குறவர் குழந்தைகளுக்கு உணவு மறுக்கப்பட்டதாக கூறப்படும் நிலையில்.. நேற்று மாலை 5 மணிக்கு… pic.twitter.com/cGVsC4PWGw
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) February 6, 2026
Critics and Hindu Munnani argue, “First, we question the singling out of children from the nomad community and barring their entry into what it (DMK) called an ‘all community lunch’.
Secondly, why it spends temple revenue to give food on Annadurai’s death anniversary, who is one of the founders of the DMK, a staunch iconoclast. If it wants to do it, it can do it from party funds. Observing a death anniversary and distributing food in temple premises is not good. Moreover, it is against Dravidian rationalist ideologies. For them, it is one of the superstitions or Brahminical rituals like doing pinda dhan and anna dhan.
In Karunanidhi Samadhi at Marina (a memorial built on taxpayers’ money), where daily things like daily floral decoration, offering his favourite dish ‘Dahi vada’, and Murasoli Tamil daily which he edited, and alleged bhajans by DMK leaders take place for the DMK it is not superstition or a Brahminical ritual. What a double standard?”
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken action regarding allegations of caste-based discrimination in the workplace against a Scheduled Caste (SC) officer in Tamil Nadu. It has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued notices to the Coimbatore District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP), demanding a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) regarding the caste-based humiliation.
Separately, in another caste discrimination matter in Tamil Nadu, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken suo motu cognisance of allegations involving humiliation of a Scheduled Caste officer at a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation depot in Mettupalayam. Notices have been issued to the Coimbatore District Collector and Superintendent of Police seeking an Action Taken Report.
The case relates to the transfer of branch manager D. Prakash Kumar, who is said to belong to a Scheduled Caste, after which another official, Sasiraj, identified as a DMK trade union functionary and driver, allegedly made derogatory remarks and arranged for the office floor to be cleaned and smeared with cow dung for “purification”. Sasiraj was placed under suspension on January 28, 2026.
The NCSC Commission has sought a report on the action taken against the official responsible for the discriminatory act under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Commission warned that if they do not submit the reports within the stipulated time, they would be summoned in person to give explanations.
“It is another Dravidian model social justice. Caste discriminations are aplenty in Tamil Nadu during Dravidian rule — discrimination in schools, tea shops and eateries, temples and political meeting stages, including the offering of plastic chairs,” say activists.
