Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai has sharply criticized the DMK government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for the recent decision to rename government-run hostels serving SC/ST, BC, MBC, and Denotified communities as ‘Social Justice Hostels’ a move the ruling party claims is meant to promote equality among students.
Taking to social media platform X, Annamalai accused the DMK of indulging in mere gimmicks instead of addressing the real and urgent issues faced by students staying in these hostels. Changing names doesn’t change ground reality referring to the poor condition of the hostel facilities across the state.
He also alleged massive discrepancies in food allowances. While the government claims to allocate ₹50 per day per student totaling ₹1,500 per month Annamalai pointed out that the actual amount spent is only ₹39 per day. Further slamming the DMK’s priorities, Annamalai said that the government has been returning unutilized central funds earmarked for the welfare of Scheduled Caste communities instead of using them to improve Adi Dravidar schools and hostels.
K. Annamalai via his official X account stated, “Student hostels across Tamil Nadu are in a state of disrepair, lacking proper maintenance, quality drinking water, and clean toilet facilities, and are on the verge of collapsing. Students have repeatedly complained that quality food and clean drinking water are not provided in these hostels. The DMK government had stated that 98,909 male and female students are residing and studying in the 1,331 student hostels run by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, and ₹142 crore has been spent on food for these students. Accordingly, on average, only ₹39 per student per day is spent on food. However, they claim to provide a food allowance of ₹1,500 per month, stating ₹50 per student per day. While a daily food allowance of ₹50 is already very low, the DMK government is actually spending only ₹39. Despite repeated requests to increase the food allowance for students residing in Adi Dravidar hostels from ₹1,500 to ₹5,000 per month, Chief Minister Mr. @mkstalin has ignored them.”
“The DMK government is annually returning the funds provided by the Central Government for the upliftment of Scheduled Caste people, instead of spending them on improving Adi Dravidar schools and student hostels. Last year, the roof of the Ayakudi student welfare hostel near Palani in Dindigul district collapsed, injuring five female students. While student hostels across Tamil Nadu are in such a deplorable state, Chief Minister Mr. @mkstalin is playing games by changing the names of the hostels for his publicity desires. The DMK government has not spent even 1% of what it spends on publicity for the welfare of students. The advertising expenditure for the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department was ₹1.65 crore in 2023-2024 and ₹11.48 crore in 2024-2025. While a few more crores might be accounted for this name-change publicity, it offers no benefit to the students,” He added.
தமிழகம் முழுவதும் உள்ள மாணவர் விடுதிகள், முறையான பராமரிப்பின்றி, தரமான குடிநீர் வசதி இன்றி, சுத்தமான கழிப்பறை வசதிகள் இன்றி, பழுதடைந்து இடிந்து விழும் நிலையில் இருக்கின்றன. மாணவர் விடுதிகளில், தரமான உணவு, சுத்தமான குடிநீர் வழங்கப்படுவதில்லை என, மாணவர்கள் பலமுறை புகார்கள்… https://t.co/s06ccIape8
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 7, 2025
Annamalai’s sharp criticism comes in response to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s announcement on 7 July, where he declared that all government-run hostels for underprivileged students across Tamil Nadu will be renamed as ‘Social Justice Hostels’.
Taking to social media, Stalin stated, “The history of the Dravidian movement is about breaking down barriers of discrimination and creating progressive reforms rooted in equality and social justice. From now on, all school and college hostels functioning under various departments for economically disadvantaged students across Tamil Nadu will be called as ‘Social Justice Hostels’.”
பேதங்களைத் தகர்த்தெறிந்து சமத்துவத்தையும் – சமூகநீதியையும் காக்க புரட்சியால் புதுமையைப் படைப்பதே திராவிட வரலாறு!
தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் பல்வேறு துறைகளின்கீழ் செயல்பட்டு வரும் ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கான பள்ளி மற்றும் கல்லூரி விடுதிகள் இனி ‘சமூகநீதி விடுதிகள்’ என்று அழைக்கப்படும்!… pic.twitter.com/fbylC9OyJ8
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) July 7, 2025
The move, seen by DMK as part of its social reform legacy, has drawn flak from opposition leaders like Annamalai, who argue that symbolic changes are being prioritized over real improvements in infrastructure and student welfare.
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