Clash of Ideologies

16 spotlight MAY 10-16, 2015 Clash of Ideologies :: Sandhya Ravishankar f Tamil Nadu’s recent history is In Periyar country, April, Tamil New Year’s day,” rich in progressive ideas, it is in says Veeramani. “By 8 am the large part due to Periyar EV Ra- Hindutva groups whole function was over.” masamy Naicker’s rationalist and rationalist An incensed state govern- self-respect movement. Thanks ment called for a stay on allow- I to this social reformer, the Ta- ing this function to continue. atheist Dravidians mil populace has grown up Despite it being a court holiday with and imbibed liberal ideals go head to head on account of Tamil New Year’s such as the struggle against ahead of the day, a new bench was called Brahmin hegemony, social jus- and the matter heard at the tice for the depressed classes, 2016 elections residence of one of two judges equality of men and women, of the Madras High Court, a self-respect marriages without move which Veeramani calls ‘thali’ or ‘mangalsutra’, which “highly unusual”. The advo- was seen as a symbol of slavery cate general appeared on be- of women, anti-Hindi agita- half of the state and strongly tions, atheism and opening the pushed for a stay on the event, sanctum sanctorum of temples citing law and order issues. The to all castes, to name a few. two-judge bench ordered a But now Periyar country is stay. But by then, the ‘thali’ re- seeing a sudden rise is vitriol as moval ceremony was over. The a clash of extremes takes place, beef lunch was parcelled out to vying for a connect with the the participants and everyone youth of Tamil Nadu. went home. The trouble began in early Hindutva outfits began iso- March, with a private Tamil tel- lated protests in various parts of evision channel airing a promo the state soon after. A small regarding a recorded debate on group of Shiv Sena men at- whether the ‘Thali’ is a boon or tempted to enter Periyar Thi- a bane for women. On March 7, was palpable. Ninety years af- The Chennai police, fearing dal, headquarters of the DK in fringe pro-Hindu outfit Hindu ter the Dravidian self-respect clashes, refused to give permis- Chennai, to protest. A scuffle Munnani protested outside the movement was launched by sion to the DK to conduct the ensued between the two groups channel’s headquarters. A day Periyar, the DK and its ideology planned ceremony. The DK and police resorted to a mild later, the Hindu Makkal Katchi appeared to be facing a test of moved the Madras High Court lathicharge to impose order. joined the protests and man- relevance, however slight. The — the hearing went on until 9 “People from the red-light handled a crew member of the DK decided to cock a snook at pm on April 13. The Court fi- area were brought in for the channel. On March 12, a low in- two ticklish issues — by con- nally passed orders by 9.30 pm ‘thali’ removal ceremony,” said tensity ‘tiffin box’ bomb was ducting a ‘thali’ removal func- that night — the ‘thali’ removal H Raja, national secretary of hurled at the office in Chennai tion, followed by a beef ban- ceremony and beef feast could the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the wee hours of the morning quet as a symbolic protest finally take place. and a volatile pro-Hindu voice allegedly by a fringe outfit against the beef ban in Maha- DK members knew that ei- in the state. This statement add- called the Hindu Youth Sena — rashtra and Haryana. ther the government or the Hin- ed fuel to the fire. this, despite the channel calling “No one has any right to curb dutva groups would head right Between April 20 and April off telecast of the show. freedom of speech and expres- back to the court the next day 21, three Brahmin priests had sion,” says K Veeramani, presi- and try to get a stay on the func- been attacked in Chennai by a Showdown Time dent of the DK. “We are not a tion. They decided to hold the lesser known arm of the DK. By this time, the buzz of anger fascist country. That is why we function much earlier. “We The Dravidar Viduthalai Ka- within the Dravidar Kazhagam decided to conduct this,” he started the ‘thali’ removal cer- zhagam cut the sacred thread of (DK) and like-minded groups said. emony at 6.45 am on the 14th of these priests as they were walk- Statue of Periyar at The Dravidian Movement Periyar Thidal, Chennai & Political History First file signed by DMK wins a CN Annadurai as CM majority in of Tamil Nadu was Periyar EV Self-respect Madras that of Hindu Periyar Ramasamy marriages Periyar legislative Marriage (Madras renames Justice Naicker founded held without takes over assembly, Amendment) Act, Dravida the Dravidian ‘thali’ as president Party as CN Annadurai 1967, introducing P Theagaraya Munnetra movement & the (mangalsutra) of Justice Dravidar becomes chief Section 7A, permitting Chetty & TM Nair Kazhagam self-respect and without a Party Kazhagam (DK), minister Suyamariyathai found the movement Brahmin withdraws (DMK) formed (self-respect) and Justice Party priest party from to contest Seerthiruttha electoral elections (reformist) marriages politics 1917 1925 1929 1938 1944 1949 1967 1967 spotlight 17 MAY 10-16, 2015 Biography of Periyar: The Father of in fact waned over time. Political hawks say for the first time voters to- Dravidian Movement day have little connect with Periyar Real name: EV Ramasamy Naicker and are more god-fearing and capital- ist in nature than the Dravidian lead- Born: September 17, 1879 ers would like them to be. Caste poli- Birthplace: Erode, Tamil Nadu tics played by Dravidian leaders from Married 13-year-old Nagammai in 1898 the DMK and the AIADMK have gone against the grain of the movement Renounces family life and went to Kashi (Varanasi) launched by Periyar in the mid-1920s. 1904 where he experiences ill-treatment at the “Day by day the Dravidian move- hands of Brahmins as he was of another caste ment has exposed itself in many Going against social norms, Periyar gets his sister, who ways,” says Lakshmanan. “They are 1918 was widowed at nine years of age, remarried getting beaten from all corners — whether it is the case of women’s Resigns as municipal chairman of issues or caste or social justice. Erode; beginning of lasting friendship with The Dravidian movement is a 1919 Congress leader C Rajagopalachari clear debacle. There is a des- peration on their part to renew A ‘thali’ removal function presided over Joins Indian National Congress in 1919 their movement — to show that it is by DK president K Veeramani (left) 1922 Becomes Tamil Nadu Congress Committee alive. It is purely a futile exercise. president They do not have any sincerity in terms of ideology. There is a complete Speaks publicly for the first time on ending 1924 vacuum in the state which the BJP is Brahmin hegemony at a public meeting in Salem trying to fill with rhetoric of this ing along the road. One of them, an British to rule Madras Presidency Quits Congress party and founds self-respect sort.” 80-year-old priest, sustained inju- from London and attacked Hindus. 1925 movement a.k.a. Dravidian movement It is perhaps a reflection ries to his hand as well. Periyar was anti-national, a stooge of this situation that the This has once again kicked off a of the British,” he says. Meets Mahatma Gandhi and strongly crafty politician, DMK storm within the BJP in the state, “This definitely is going to happen 1927 advocates abolishment of caste system chief M Karunanidhi, with BJP state president Tamilisai more going forward,” says Gnani treads with care on the is- At the first self-respect conference, Periyar Soundararajan condemning the in- Sankaran, a political analyst based introduces the concept of self-respect sue of ‘thali’ removal. In a cident saying, “Those who disturb in Chennai. “These two opposing 1929 marriage, widow remarriage and statement at the time hitting peace should be punished severely ideologies are bound to clash and inter-caste marriages out at pro-Hindu groups that at- by law. These are cowardly acts that we will see more such incidents, as tacked DK men, Karunanidhi point- deserve strong condemnation.” the battle for Tamil Nadu culminates 1931 Heads to Europe and addresses labourers there edly said that wearing a ‘thali’ or not Union minister of state for road in elections in 2016.” on rationalism and socialism was an individual’s preference. “When transport & highways and shipping, The BJP’s rhetoric too is similar — I participated in a similar event in the Pon Radhakrishnan too chipped in there appears to be a conscious Anti-Hindi agitations begin as Hindi was sought past, DK president K Veeramani asked 1936 to be imposed throughout India with a high-decibel retort. “Instead move to deconstruct the aura of me to remove ‘thalis’. But I openly re- of taking on ideology with ideology, Periyar. “This is the land of Nayan- Periyar is invited to form government as leader of sisted the idea. Also, I have never com- these cowardly elements have cho- mars and Alwars,” says H Raja. “EVR 1940 Justice Party; he demands separate Dravida pelled anyone to take part in any event sen to attack an old helpless man. If [Periyar] and [CN] Annadurai are Nadu for the Dravidian race and declines of the Dravidar Kazhagam,” he added such incidents continue, the reper- incidental.

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