Casteist slur by minister Rajakannappan: NCSC seeks report from Tamil Nadu govt, police

CHENNAI: The National Commission for Schedule Caste has sought a detailed report from the Tamil Nadu government regarding minister for backward classes Rajakannappan's casteist slur against a block development officer, said vice chairman of the commission Arun Halder.The commission took the case suo motu involving the minister. "We have sent the video footage of the minister, which went viral in social media, to the forensic lab to check its authenticity. The minister is seen abusing BDO of Ramanathapuram in the video. If it’s found to be genuine, we will take further action against him,” Halder told mediapersons after hearing the case in Chennai on Monday.The commission has directed the experts to submit a report on the video footage at the earliest, he said and expressed displeasure that a minister of backward classes was involved in such a case.The incident took place in March this year. Immediately after the incident went viral in social media and attracted criticism, chief minister MK Stalin divested Rajakannappan of his transport portfolio and made him the minister for the backward classes welfare. "We will coordinate with the state commission for SC/ST to create awareness among the SC/ST community in the state,” said Halder while responding to a question on the inadequate number of awareness programmes on rights of the SC/ST people in the state.The commission, on hearing a petition from a group of people from Ooty, directed the district administration to provide electricity connection to the houses of seven families living in a village in Ooty within a week. It also directed the authorities to issue house pattas to the third generation SCs within a month.