Periyar E. V. Ramasamy played a crucial role in eradication of caste in India. He founded the self respect movement in Tamil Nadu and also formed the Dravidar Kazhagam. On caste system in India, Periyar harshly dealt with the practise of discrimination and its subordination of the different levels it created in society. He also severely attacked those who used who used the system to take advantage of the masses through subjugation and exploitation.
Philosophy of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
He felt that very few numbers of people created caste distinction in order to dominate over society. Hence he was of the view that one must first develop self respect and rationally learn to analyze proposals. A self respecting and pragmatic individual will realize that caste system has been stifling self-respect and therefore he will strive to get rid of this menace.
Periyar explained during many of his public debates and speeches that the system of caste system in South India was due to the influence of Indo-Aryan, which was linked with the arrival of Brahmins from the North. Periyar believed that people with even a small sense of logic would never give special treatment to Brahmins. Some of the prime examples practised for lower castes to fall at their feet and to even sometimes, wash their feet and drink that water. Gandhi supported caste system in its preservation. On the issue of Untouchables being prevented from drawing water from wells and entering temples, Mahatma Gandhi suggested having separate wells and temples made for them instead. Periyar argued against this by demanding the Vedas of Indo-Aryans to be burnt and their deities to be destroyed since it was their creation of the castes and Untouchables.
Periyar said that caste systems have actually perverted the ideas of peoples about conduct of human beings. The principle of different codes of conduct for each caste based on birth and life, led in accordance with it for centuries, have spoiled the Hindu mentality almost beyond repair, and destroyed the idea of uniformity in conduct. Graded inequality has got so much into the Hindu blood that general intelligence is warped and refused to mend even after English education and higher standards of living.
Service to the Backward Classes
Soon after Periyar entered Congress, he also realized that Brahmin had many more government jobs than the non-Brahmins and that higher education was more or less their prerogative. He also wanted the Indian National Congress to pass a resolution demanding communal representation in education and employment.
Kumarasami Kamaraj was thoroughly convinced that Periyar was only demanding justice for the non-Brahmins who had been neglected and exploited by certain sections of the people for hundreds of years. Therefore he readily accepted Periyar`s suggestion that poor people should have free education.
