In 1925, the social reformer E.V. Ramasamy, widely known as Periyar, launched the Self-Respect Movement, a unique initiative to transform Tamil society into a rationalist, modern, and radical society by pulling it out from the mire of dehumanising casteism and religious obscurantism. Nearly a hundred years later, many of Periyar’s dreams have come true. Everyone, including the most oppressed sections of a caste-based society of graded inequality, is able to lead a life of dignity through education (and employment), which they had been denied for centuries. Many radical laws were passed to protect these hard-fought gains.
However, a considerable chunk of Tamil society, which once dropped caste suffixes from names as a result of the Self-Respect Movement’s sustained campaign, still holds on to the demeaning practice of caste oppression, which has led to pointed questions about Periyar, who passed away in 1973, and his movement. Today, debates and discussions are rife on whether the movement achieved what it set out to. Is it true that Periyar targeted Brahmins to empower Other Backward Classes (OBCs)? Did he fail Dalits in the process? Did he compromise on Tamil identity? Was his Dravidian ideology not inclusive? These uncomfortable questions are often raised on social platforms by Dalit intellectuals and some fringe elements who champion the cause of Tamil nationalism.
Also Read | Ambedkar & Periyar: On the same page
A few non-Brahmin groups, for whose emancipation he strived hard, also hold grievances against him and his ideology and attempt to confine his legacy to linguistic, casteist, and regional boundaries. But Periyar was not one to flinch in the face of such criticisms—as is amply evident in his writings and speeches.
As the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), the organisation he led, gets ready to celebrate the centenary of the Self-Respect Movement in 2025, its current leader, the 90-year-old veteran K. Veeramani, spoke to Frontline on Periyar’s relevance and how the party has defeated attempts to reduce Periyar to just an anti-Brahmin leader who professed atheism. Excerpts:
The Self-Respect Movement’s impact on a stratified society plagued by poverty, ignorance, and superstitions was significant. Has the movement become obsolete today?
There is no equivalent term for the concept of self-respect. The word dignity is perhaps the closest in the English language. Periyar, with visionary insight, chose this term in 1925, and it remains relevant even after 100 years. Many sceptics predicted that after Periyar the movement would fade away. However, they were proven wrong. The DK, its Self-Respect Movement, its Kudi Arasu journal, and Periyar’s legacy remain strong even today.
Periyar’s ideas are adaptable and continue to be influential. There is no rationalist movement anywhere else in the world that has had such a lasting impact and longevity. It serves as an institution to address social injustices. The Self-Respect Movement is a public movement founded on core humanistic values because it opposes untouchability and unapproachability.
The caste system has been the source of numerous social ills throughout history. Eliminating it from people’s minds is a challenging task because of its perceived divine sanction. We need to fight in the minds of people to eradicate deeply entrenched and time-defying beliefs and superstitions. It is a complex battle. Yes, the movement faced and continues to face stiff resistance from religious bigots, pseudo-secularists, Hindutva supporters, casteists, and fringe linguistic groups. However, the movement aims to create a casteless, humanist society.
Periyar was originally with the Congress, but after participating in the Vaikom struggle against untouchability in Kerala in 1924-25, he launched Kudi Arasu, a journal to propagate his ideologies. Kudi Arasu remains a potent weapon to promote the principles of revolution, liberation, democracy, revolt, and rationalism, which the Self-Respect Movement stands for.
K. Veeramani paying tribute to Periyar, known as the father of the Dravidian movement, in Chennai in 2016. | Photo Credit: BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Periyar in the digital age
Periyar Vision OTT platform
Periyar Youtube channel
Periyar.org website
The Self-Respect Movement is a unique combination of radicalism and the Gandhian principle of non-violence juxtaposed. Are they not incompatible?
Periyar fought against social evils and the oppression of people based on their birth, which he believed the Congress did not address. However, he firmly believed in Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence. He had differences with Gandhi on varnashrama dharma. When Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 by Nathuram Godse, an RSS-trained Brahmin, not a single individual was harmed in the Madras Presidency, while Maharashtra and other parts of the country witnessed violence against Brahmins. Periyar addressed the people over radio at the request of the then Chief Minister O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar, asking them to refrain from harming anyone of any race or creed. There was total peace.
Periyar fashioned the Self-Respect Movement on the principle of non-violence, which moulded the collective psyche of the Tamil people against any form of physical violence. However, he encountered violence and was attacked by fringe elements in his lifetime. Despite this, he preached ahimsa, although he did not approve of Gandhi’s support for varnashrama dharma. Periyar’s movement was against Brahminism but not against Brahmins themselves. He attacked religious ideologies and dogmas that were harmful to establishing an egalitarian society. The movement was aimed at recognising all non-Brahmins, irrespective of caste or creed, as victims of the system.
Please expand on Periyar’s attitude towards Brahmins and Brahminism.
Periyar attacked Brahminism, which he considered the root cause of all social ills. He strongly believed that an egalitarian Tamil society could be created once the caste system and the divine sanction it was based on were dismantled. He understood that the battle was complex and intricate because it required changing the mindset of people. He recognised it as distinct from the Left’s class struggle as economic reversals could potentially erase class differences, but it was impossible to do the same in a fight against birth-based privilege and descent. He had a clear understanding of class and caste hierarchies and their dynamics.
For 100 years, the movement he started has been actively battling caste discrimination and oppression. Even the Constitution can be amended but not varnashrama dharma. As long as it exists, caste inequality and social evils will persist. Hence, the struggle needs to be fought on all fronts—against gods and religions.
In 1936, Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste was translated into Tamil and published in Kudi Arasu, making it the first translation of the work. Both Ambedkar and Periyar were on the same page and shared the same ideological views. It is an undeniable fact that the Self-Respect Movement laid the foundation for the sweeping social reforms we see in Tamil society today. Periyar opposed Brahmin dominance in education and employment, but he was not against any individual. There are unfounded accusations against him in this respect. Just show me one incident where Periyar instigated violence against any caste or creed.
Also Read | Did Periyar call for a genocide of Brahmins?
Certain Tamil chauvinistic groups have argued that the Dravidian movement does not solely represent Tamil interests and, in targeting Brahmins, it undermines the real issues Tamils faced. Some Dalits also have the same grudge.
The term Dravidian identifies a race. The term was chosen consciously to denote a casteless and humanistic society with a rationalistic ideology. It is Tamil and its core objective is to eradicate birth-based discrimination and gender disparity. Neither the Dravidian movement nor the Self-Respect Movement is anti-religion or anti-god. They faulted religion and its accessories for demeaning fellow human beings.
Our focus is on critiquing varnashrama dharma, which created a caste structure by establishing god, religion, and superstitious beliefs, which were developed and perfected by Brahminism to keep non-Brahmins suppressed in the social order.
Did his long-fought social battle ever achieve what he dreamt of in his lifetime?
Yes. In the history of reformists, Periyar was the only leader who saw his dreams come true during his lifetime. His followers like C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi realised many of his cherished objectives when they became Chief Minister. They used their office to create an environment that ensured equitable distribution of education and employment for all. His efforts led to constitutional protection for reservation in the Ninth Schedule. He worked towards legalising inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, which he referred to as “self-respect marriages”, as well as widow remarriage, besides granting of property rights to women.
In the post-Periyar era, the reservation policy continues, uplifting socially disadvantaged groups. The reservation percentage was increased to 69 per cent in the early 1990s, and today Tamil Nadu is the State with the highest percentage of reservation, benefiting OBCs, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. These social justice laws have significantly boosted the State’s efforts to achieve fair distribution of wealth, education, and employment, ensuring equal social and economic growth for all.
Is the Periyarist movement prepared to tackle the new challenges in this digital era of communication?
Today, the electronic media often spreads falsehoods and misconceptions about leaders and their ideologies. We have adopted multidimensional approaches so that Periyar, being the one most trolled, and the Self-Respect Movement remain relevant.
Although our enemies are few, they may be more visible today. They employ individuals to continue their disruptive agenda. When the Devadasi system was abolished, it was non-Brahmins more than orthodox individuals who opposed it. Unfortunately, the supporters of the Periyarist ideology have become victims of their manipulative tactics.
The Self-Respect Movement has led to a non-violent social renaissance. Its motto of “Everything for everyone” promotes humanity. We oppose those who dehumanise others based on birth. Anyone who supports the caste system is our enemy, and we will confront them. The Dravidian movement promotes equality and aims to establish a free and fair society. Our position is not rooted in hatred towards anyone. We respect those who criticise our ideology, which strives for a casteless society of humanism.
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