Chennai, Sep 9 (IANS): AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami demanded the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a committee to address the challenges faced by students in hostels run by Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who is currently Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, claimed in a statement on Sunday that the students of Adi Dravidar and Tribal communities living in the hostels run by the Welfare Department are "facing acute difficulties".

He said that there were media reports that highlighted the "unauthorised entry of outsiders during night hours into the campus and use of alcohol". The LoP also raised the issue of "shortage of food" for students in these hostels and called upon the government to immediately resolve the issue.

The AIADMK leader alleged that attacks on Scheduled Castes (SCs) have been on the rise since the DMK government assumed office in May 2021.

Palaniswami said that he had highlighted the issues faced by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal communities including the presence of faecal matter in overhead drinking water tank in Pudukkottai district. He also said that he had taken up the issue of SC families "not getting" access to drinking water supply in Tenkasi district.

The LoP further said that he had taken up the issue of the murder of an SC state president of a national party and also the deaths of SC people by drinking illicit liquor in Kallakurichi. But, the DMK government is "not keen in resolving the issues faced by the Scheduled Caste and tribal communities", he added.

Meanwhile, the DMK-led state government claims that it is spending nearly Rs 1000 crore for improving amenities like roads, street lights and drinking water supply at Adi Dravidar habitations in urban and rural areas.

The state government has allocated Rs 2992.57 crore to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department during 2024-25.