Despite Periyar’s success in bringing about social justice, lot more needs to be done: K. Veeramani

Founder of Dravidian Movement, Periyar tasted significant success in bringing about social justice for the betterment of the socially-oppressed classes, especially to uplift the women. But, still a lot more has to be done against NEET and reservation for economically weaker section that denied education to the oppressed classes and snatched their rights, said Dravidar Kazhagam leader, K. Veeramani.

He was addressing a public meeting to mark the 80th anniversary of Dravida Kazhagam meeting of 1946 held in Madurai during which the conference pandal was set on fire and DK cadres were assaulted by people who hated the ideologies of the movement.

“That day, Periyar prevented the huge crowd at the public meeting from retaliating stating that those fighting for ideology should learn to tolerate such attacks. Today, Periyar stands victorious in having cleaned up several repressive ideas of Manu Smrithi and Sanatana Dharma,” he said.

“That the people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward classes got reservation in education and employment nation-wide is only due to the path charted by Periyar long back,” Mr. Veeramani said.

Similarly, he was instrumental in the women getting education and also equal rights over ancestral property. The DMK and its governments worked towards implementing his ideologies through legislation, including making people of all castes becoming priests in Hindu temples.

“Still, they are being prevented to perform their duties in bigger temples,” he lamented.

The BJP Government in the Centre is furthering the RSS ideologies of denying education to the oppressed classes by introducing NEET and also through EWS quota, he added.

The DK is only a social movement that would not fight even for a seat in local body, but would continue to fight for the betterment for the people, who work against the very Periyar’s ideology, and their wards, he said.

DMK leader, Pon. Muthuramalingam, spoke.