‘DMK Betrayed Vanniyars’: Anbumani Ramadoss Accuses Stalin of Using Community as Vote Bank
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss greets workers during a protest in Villupuram district on Sunday. The protest was held to demand a 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars. | Photo Credit: M. SAMRAJ Via The Hindu
Villupuram, July 21 – In a sharp political attack, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday accused the ruling DMK government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of treating the Vanniyar community as nothing more than a vote bank. Leading a public protest in Villupuram, Anbumani demanded immediate implementation of the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars within the Most Backward Classes (MBC) quota.
Anbumani, addressing a large crowd at the municipal ground, alleged that the DMK had misled the public for years and failed to act even 1,208 days after the Supreme Court struck down the earlier reservation order.
45 Years of Struggle, But No Action
“The demand for Vanniyar reservation has been pending for 45 years,” said Anbumani. “In 1989, 21 people lost their lives during the protest for exclusive Vanniyar reservation. Of them, 15 were from Villupuram district alone,” he reminded the gathering.
He also recalled that both he and his father, Dr. S. Ramadoss, had held multiple meetings with Chief Minister Stalin over the years to press for the reservation, but their efforts yielded no results.
‘Stalin Lied About Caste Census’
Anbumani claimed that Mr. Stalin had betrayed not just the PMK, but also the entire Vanniyar community by promising 10.5% internal reservation before the elections and failing to deliver afterward.
He questioned the CM’s recent statement that reservation can be granted only after the Union Government conducts a caste census. “States like Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Bihar have already conducted caste surveys. Karnataka is even planning a second survey. Why can’t Tamil Nadu do the same? Why is Mr. Stalin giving excuses?” Anbumani asked.
DMK’s Vanniyar Representation Questioned
The PMK leader pointed out that the DMK has 23 MLAs and 5 MPs from the Vanniyar community. “Has the DMK implemented even a single welfare scheme to uplift the community?” he asked. “The answer is no.”
He declared that not a single Vanniyar vote should go to the DMK in the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, calling the time ripe for unseating the Stalin-led government.
Protest to Escalate if Demands Are Ignored
Anbumani announced that the PMK will soon launch a jail bharo agitation across Tamil Nadu in support of their demand. If the DMK government fails to enact a law ensuring 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars, he warned of an intensified road roko agitation as the second phase of their movement.
“The DMK has cheated us long enough. The community will not forget this betrayal,” Anbumani thundered to the applause of his supporters.
Final Thoughts – TheTrendingPeople.com
The reservation issue for the Vanniyar community continues to be a critical political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu. Anbumani Ramadoss’s strong accusations reflect growing dissatisfaction among PMK supporters and may play a major role in the 2026 state elections.
With caste-based data and internal quotas becoming key electoral topics, the pressure is now on the DMK government to respond decisively — or face the political consequences.