Today marks the 51st anniversary of the passing of Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy, often referred by his followers as Periyar. ‘Periyar’ is a Tamil term used for someone who is very respected. EVR’s followers might not take a minute of a break in singing praises upon him and reiterating propaganda stories of how the man single handedly pushed the state of Tamil Nadu towards an egalitarian society.
Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, a pioneer of social justice and rationalism, inspired generations to fight caste discrimination and gender inequality. His relentless advocacy for self-respect and equality continues to empower marginalized voices.
Today, we honour his shining legacy! pic.twitter.com/NhtQ7ngQcH
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 24, 2024
Or How he gave a major blow to the caste discrimination perpetrated by the so-called evil Brahmins who make up less than 3 percent of the total population or How he sowed the seeds of ‘rationalism’ in the state. These are some of the socio-political propaganda pushed by his followers and the political parties who contest election in his name. But history takes a different stance when it talks of Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy and his anti-Hindu ‘legacy’.
Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy or EVR was born in 1879 who plummeted the socio-political discourse of Tamil Nadu and brought the seeds of caste hatred and Hinduphobia in the state. Far from being the humanist his followers claim, documented evidence shows him as an individual who actively promoted racial theories, anti-Hindu sentiments, and maintained discriminatory attitudes toward various communities with the Brahmin community being in the forefront of his hate.
One of the most disturbing aspects of EVR’s ideology was his explicit advocacy of Nazi-style anti-Brahminism. His magazine regularly published articles praising Adolf Hitler’s ascendancy and warned Tamil Brahmins to learn from the fate of Jews in Nazi Germany.
Even after the fall of the Nazi regime, EVR maintained this aggressive stance. In a statement from January 1954, he demanded that “Parpanan (a derogatory term for Brahmins) should be driven away from this land.”
His extremism extended to organizational policies, declaring in 1967 that “However much a rationalist or atheist, if a person is a Brahmin he should not be allowed in our organizations.”
It is EVR who furthered the boogie of the Aryan Dravidian or Aryan Invasion theory. The debunked theory falsely claimed that Aryans that labelled Brahmins as outsiders who invaded India and also created a deep North-South rift that even exists today even though the bogus theory has been intellectually and logically countered down many a time through significant evidences.
The followers of the EVR too try to propagate the myth that their ideal was a champion of women rights who fought for women and made sure that they get uplifted in the society. The Historical fact crumbles down this myth as there was rarely any women rights movement where EVR noted down his presence. He was absent in the then struggle for the Sharda Act that attempted to ban Child marriages in the country. The Sharda Act was supported by both Gandhi and Ambedkar but EVR did not turn up his support for the act. His personal treatment of women raises further questions. His hagiographers acknowledge his past as a feudal playboy who frequented local brothels. One particularly troubling incident, celebrated by his supporters as “rationalist strategy,” involved EVR orchestrating the harassment of his first wife to prevent her from visiting temples.
EVR’s relationship with Scheduled Communities (SC) reveals another problematic dimension of his ideology. He openly differentiated between SC and non-SC communities, primarily advocating for non-SC interests. In 1950, he complained in Viduthalai magazine that while Brahmins and Panchamas (SC communities) were receiving necessary concessions, it was the Shudras who truly suffered. This bias extended to his treatment of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, whom he accused of accepting bribes from Brahmins in the form of reservations for the SC community. The songs of praises EVR’s hard cord followers sing daily of his contributions in pushing for a fairer casteless society gets dismantled on historical front.
Also Read: Periyar was an anti-Hindu, anti-Brahmin bigot who deserves to be criticised not lauded
His stance toward Tamil cultural heritage was equally destructive. He dismissed the classic epic Silappadikaram as “nothing but a propaganda tool of Aryans” and condemned Tamil scholars who studied it. His relationship with Thirukkural was similarly problematic while initially praising it in 1948 as rational and anti-Hindu, by 1950 he was likening it to excreta, demonstrating his inconsistent and often destructive approach to Tamil literary heritage.
Perhaps one of the most revealing aspects of EVR’s character emerged in his response to the 1968 Keezhvenmani massacre, where 44 SC women and children were burned alive by non-Brahmin landlords. Rather than condemning this atrocity, EVR characterized it as a communist conspiracy against the DMK government, advising workers to be content with their wages and blaming the tragedy on communist instigation.
EVR’s political allegiances also raise serious questions about his commitment to Indian independence. He actively sought British support for his Dravidstan movement and approached Muhammad Ali Jinnah for help, though both treated him as a useful political tool rather than a serious ally. In a 1965 interview with Anantha Vikatan, EVR admitted to appealing to the British to hand over power to the Justice Party, given their pro-British stance.
Kamarajar, the prominent nationalist non-Brahmin leader from Tamil Nadu, consistently opposed EVR’s worldview despite attempts by EVR’s supporters to suggest otherwise. When EVR and his followers opposed the conference on Silappadikaram, Kamaraja attended and supported it, criticizing the Dravidian movement’s stance. In 1957, even when EVR expressed support for Kamaraja’s election, the latter made it clear that he did not share EVR’s views and opposed any organization that excluded or included members on racial or caste basis.
Even India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru expressed serious concerns about EVR’s influence. In a letter to Madras Chief Minister Kumaraswami Kamaraj on November 5, 1957, Nehru described EVR’s rhetoric as the words of either “a criminal or a lunatic,” suggesting he be placed in a mental asylum for his “perverted mind.” Nehru was particularly disturbed by EVR’s continuous anti-Brahmin campaign and incitement to violence.
Jawaharlal Nehru wrote, “My Dear Kamaraj, I am much distressed by the anti-Brahmin campaign continuously carried on by E.V. Ramaswami Naicker. I wrote to you I think about this some time ago, and I was told that this matter was under consideration. I find that Ramaswami Naicker is going on saying the same thing again and calling upon people at the right time to start stabbing and killing. What he says can only be said by a criminal or a lunatic. I do not know him adequately to be able to decide what he is, but one thing is clear to me that this kind of thing has a very demoralizing effect on the country. All the anti-social and criminal elements imagine that they can act in this way also. I suggest, therefore, to you that there should be no delay in dealing with this matter. Let him be put in a lunatic asylum and his perverted mind treated there.
I do not understand anyone telling me that the law does not allow us to take action unless actual killing takes place. The law is often very foolish but it is not quite so foolish as to permit a campaign of incitement to murder. Yours sincerely, Jawaharlal Nehru”
These historical facts underline the troubling ideology Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy had. Be it for Hindus, Brahmins, Women or for Scheduled Caste community, EVR shared a vile thought which his followers today imbibe and propagate. EVR also has made a concerning mark in the state of Tamil Nadu. Hinduphobia has consistently taken a leap in the state with many political leaders using Hinduphobic rhetorics to get hold of votes. Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Deputy Chief Minister and the son of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin quite openly asked for the annihilation of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism).
Hate speech against the Brahmin community too has been normalised in the state. Tamil Brahmins only make up less than 3 percent of the state’s population but the community is constantly targeted and persecuted. Tamil Brahmin community is being portrayed as a villain for electoral gains. The political party who persecuted Tamil Brahmin the most will be handed over the Chief Minister’s seat. The sad reality of the state of Tamil Nadu is all because of Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy who made sure that the beautiful state becomes the factory of caste hatred under the regime of Dravidian parties.
