Annamalai rejects Periyar’s anti-Brahmin views, backs his stand on women’s liberation
Former Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai has publicly rejected the atheistic and anti-Brahmin views of Dravidian leader Periyar while praising his work on women's empowerment. He also announced plans to relocate atheistic statues from temple premises if his party gains power.
Why it matters
This reflects ongoing cultural and political tensions in Tamil Nadu regarding the legacy of the Dravidian movement and the role of religion in public life.
NEW DELHI: Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Sunday said he “completely rejects” the "atheistic and anti-Brahmin" ideologies espoused by EV Ramasamy, popularly known as “Periyar,” while acknowledging the Dravidian stalwart's contributions to women’s empowerment and the fight against caste discrimination.“We acknowledge that he (Periyar) advocated women’s liberation and spoke about the eradication of caste. However, I completely reject Periyar’s atheistic views and his anti-Brahmin stance,” Annamalai said at a programme.Highlighting what he described as historical contradictions in the Dravidian leader’s positions, Annamalai pointed to Periyar’s opposition to Hindi, noting, “He spoke about Hindi opposition in 1935, but the same Periyar in 1965 said to shoot anyone who protests against Hindi.”The IPS officer-turned-politician also questioned Periyar’s political alignment with the DMK, citing his 1961 appeal to voters to support “Pachai Thamizhan” Kamaraj.Turning to the political agenda of his movement, "We The Leaders," the former BJP leader reiterated his…
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