Tamil Nadu Chief Minister meets Catholic Bishops; assures support to the Christian community

Chennai, November 13, 2025:

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru M.K. Stalin, met with members of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) at the Secretariat, where the Bishops presented a memorandum highlighting key concerns of the Christian community.

The meeting was attended by Archbishop Dr. George Anthonysamy, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore and President of TNBC; Bishop Dr. Lawrence Pius (Dharmapuri), Bishop Dr. Neethinathan (Chengalpattu), Bishop Dr. Jeevanandam (Kumbakonam), and Bishop Dr. Lourdusamy Anandam (Sivagangai), along with Rev. Dr. A. Xavier Arulraj, Rev. Fr. Anthonisamy, Rev. Dr. Maria Philomi, and Rev. Sr. Vaidegi.

The meeting was fecilitated by Rev. Dr. Vincent Chinnadurai, Former Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission and the present Rector of the National Shrine of St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai. Also present were Minister for Minorities Welfare Thiru S.M. Nasar, MLA Thiru Inigo Irudayaraj, and Rev. Fr. Joe Arun, the Present Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission.

The Bishops’ memorandum expressed appreciation for the Chief Minister’s commitment to social justice, secularism, and Tamil welfare, and sought government attention on the following key issues:

- Exemptions for minority-aided schools under Section 19 of the Private Schools Regulation Act, in accordance with court rulings.

- Extension of educational welfare schemes such as free textbooks and laptops to students in minority and aided schools.

- Recognition and staff fixation for English medium sections in government-aided schools, as directed by the courts.

- Political reservation for Dalit Christians, urging proactive state support.

- Inclusion of Christian Vanniyars under the Most Backward Classes (MBC) category with equal rights as Hindu Vanniyars.

The Bishops thanked the Chief Minister for his government’s initiatives in promoting minority welfare and social harmony and requested prompt action on these matters.

In response, Thiru M.K. Stalin assured the Bishops of full government support, commended the Catholic Church’s service in education, healthcare, and social development, and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to justice and equal opportunity for all communities in Tamil Nadu.

By Catholic Connect Reporter