by RAVI KANT
The question arises, how long must South India fund the mismanagement and political shambles in North India?
“You cannot expect any rational thought from a religious man. He is like a rocking log in water.” – E V Ramasamy
Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy, revered by his followers as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement. He is known as the “Father of the Dravidian movement.”
Dravidianism or Dravidian nationalism is based on the idea that people living in the southern part of India are racially and culturally different from the North Indian (Indo-Aryan). Periyar claimed that Brahmins of the south were originally Aryan migrants from Northern India, who spoke Sanskrit and brought caste system to South India.
Periyar promoted Dravidian nationalism, which was based on the principle of rationalism, dismantling Brahmin hegemony by abolition of the caste system and revitalization of Dravidian languages.
He rebelled against Brahminical dominance by preaching to people that the Brahmins had monopolized and cheated other communities for decades and deprived them of self-respect. Periyar also led a strong rebellion against the imposition of Hindi as a compulsory subject in Tamil Nadu schools, viewing it as an attempt to establish “North Indian imperialism.”
Periyar’s legacy of self-respect, women’s rights, and caste eradication continues to influence South Indian politics, particularly in the state of Tamil Nadu.
On September 2, Udhayanidhi Stalin, minister of youth welfare and sports development and son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, while speaking at a writers’ conference in Chennai, sparked a massive controversy with his remarks on Sanatana Dharma (Hindu religion).
He said Sanatana Dharma is against the idea of social justice and must be “eradicated.” He argued that the idea is inherently regressive, dividing people based on caste and gender, and is fundamentally opposed to equality and social justice. The controversial remarks drew widespread condemnation from the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the BJP terming it a “genocidal call.”
In defense, Udhayanidhi Stalin wrote on Twitter that he never called for genocide, but opposed the principle of Santan Dharma, which divides the people in the name of caste.
He has accused BJP leaders of twisting his statements and vowed legal action.
But the bigger question is why North India is becoming so sensitive or radicalized with respect to its religion. A society must be able to understand that every religion has certain flaws, which must be corrected over time.
Certainly, Periyar’s views of making a rational society rather than a religious one based on superstitions and prejudice have played a crucial role in the development of South Indian states.
What North India can learn from South India
Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are commonly considered South Indian states. Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, is known as the “Silicon Valley of India” and accounts for one-third of India’s software exports. Tamil Nadu is known for manufacturing as it alone accounts for two-thirds of exports of personal vehicles from India.
Andhra and Telangana are known for being a pharmaceutical hub, accounting for 22.5% of all pharma manufacturing facilities in India.
Kerala is famous for its tourism industry. According to 2018 official data, tourism constitutes 10% percent of Kerala’s GDP and provides about 23.5% of employment in the state.
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