By criticising DK & Veeramani DV has harmed Dravidians
M. ARUL JOTHI, Q-78, MMDA COLONY, ARUMBAKKAM, MADRAS – 600 106
Periyarism is not just anti-brahminism: “Aryan fate will be decided on Tamil Soil: Dravidians facing do or die battle”, Dalit Voice edit Oct. 1 1991) . It is a capsule of great many valued principles, easy to adopt and understand.
Periyarism is the final answer for our self-respect, human dignity, equal rights and social justice. Periyarism accelerates transformation and reform. The transgression of human dignity can be halted only by periyarism. The ideals of Periyar do not differentiate anyone by birth, caste, creed or religion. Periyarism is the only antidote for brahminism and the hated aryanism.
Right from the days of the Buddha, the fight to control and contain the Aryan element from dominating the Dravidians and their great culture has been continuing relentlessly. The irony is everytime the Dravidian principles emerge to blossom, spreads its fragrance, there is then the same chimera, the enemy from within, spring up to upstage the reversal.
The right-hand chopping off the left-hand is enacted yet again. Will I be wrong if I describe your artcle as one such thing? Periyar as a social scientist fought for social justice. As a political moralist, he prevented his followers from taking up position of power in politics. He lighted the path by denying the god. He called its inventors idiots; its propagators, scoundrels; its worshippers, savages. Strong, but nevertheless, apt words.
Brahminism, the common enemy: He was an outstanding economist when he told the middle class, the poor and the toiling masses not to waste the fruits of their very hard labour in meaningless rites and rituals.
The parasitic brahminism looked aghast. Periyar put all these existential philosophies so succinctly, completely and compactly. To remove even a speck is to accept defeat before brahminism.
There is a saying: to an uninitiated idiot, a camel is a camel is a camel. This analogy can best be ascribed to your describing some persons as ‘true periyarists’.
Periyar and Babasaheb were contemporaries. They had met, discussed, debated but differed in their own individual ways to combat brahminism and aryanism. But combating brahminism they did.
Bearing the torch and beating the cymbals, Periyar alone tried to drive the scourge of brahminism away. To Periyar, entering jails to abolish castes was like resting in a garden of flowers where the songs of cuckoo reverberate. The Constitution of India was a mere scrap for him as it did not extend and enunciate social justice and absolute equality.
Periyar corrected the constitution: The very first ‘correction’ to it was Periyar’s singular achievement. Periyar dubbed the “freedom” of India as a change from “British Raj” to “Brahmin Raj”. Dr. Ambedkar, as Law Minister under a Brahmin Prime Minister accepted brahminical hegemony. Dr. Ambedkar retired a disappointed man. This is past history. Irrevocable.
This comparison is only to comprehend the contours of history that wound around the lives of these two great personalities, whom we both are proud of.
Yet, you have shown a desire for the death of periyarism and a special affinity towards brahminism. Please remember, if periyarism dies, the whole humanity will perish and will be consigned as a gift to brahminism.
The allegation that Periyar did nothing for the Dalits is borne out of some para- normal belief and illusion steeped in self-deception. Periyar wanted to break the caste shackles of all deprived people, Dalits per se
Veeramani was right: The late Annadurai, after becoming the Chief Minister, rushed to Periyar to symbolically lay on his laps the first ever Dravidian Govt. Similarly, the present govt, of TN might have thought it fit to show as gratitude to Periyar, in its own way, and hence held an in official function t function to honour Periyar on his 113th birth anniversary and the prodigal follower of Periyar and the present chief of the Dravidar Kazhagam was a guest. The donation that followed the tributes to Periyar was an official stamp of recognition to his self-respect movement. What is wrong in it? But your Veerapandian of Tanjore wants you to write to the DK chief Veeramani to stop flirting with the Bangalore papatti. (Dalit Voice: Nov. 16 1991).
If an admirable act of the present DK chief and his mere presence along with the papatti in a purely govt. function in honour of our leader Periyar is termed as flirting with the Bangalore papatti, I am afraid, what would Veerapandian of Tanjore and his likes who write in DV say or comment about the wedding of Dr. Ambedkar with a Brahmin woman?
Dalits & temple entry: I think, I can now enter the sanctum-sanctorum business. Brahminism is out of govt. offices thanks to social justice. Brhaminism is away from ‘political arena’ by the very presence of Dravidian movement. Brahminism has been brushed aside by the ‘self-respect movement. Yet, sadly brahminism is still desperately clinging to the dark walls of the so-called sanctum-sanctorum of “Hindu” temples. Only when that impregnable fort of brahminism is shattered, brahminism can said to be removed completely. Only then the society can said to be cleansed of brahminism thoroughly.
To remove the last and the lasting traces of brahminism completely and comprehensively, the sanctum-sanctorum must be open to all, irrespective of castes, Dalits included. It is only to remove the last vestige of brahminism from its last refuge, the DK supported the govt, move to appoint priest from among the Dalits. When that happeris, the sanctity of temples and the fear and feelings of god will die a natural death. This can be discerned only by the “Erode microscope”
The DK chief Veeramani’s noble nature and stoic stature are as large as our great leader Periyar’s and twice as natural. You may not praise. That is understood. But to deride Dravidar Kazhagam and to scorn its dynamic chief is like giving tonic to brahminism and ‘swimming’ in the gutter. Dear Sir, posterity will blame you.
