2023 September 17th marks Thanthai Periyar’s 145th Birthday. Nearly 50 years have passed by since his mortal demise. His immortal ideology is growing everyday far and wide. People realise his social contribution now more than when he was alive. A good revolutionary will be known more popular later than his life period. Periyar’s ideology is required very much for humankind. Humans have to live like humans. There should not be any discrimination among humans and ‘All are Equal’ is the core of Periyar’s ideology. ‘Everything for Everyone’ is the goal that has to be achieved. Any obstacle in any form, however much it is supreme or holy, it has to be blown up.
The social injustice that prevails in society has to be eliminated. To achieve all these, Periyar did propaganda of self-respect and rationalism that are available in every human for realisation. Periyar founded self Respect movement which later got renamed Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944. DK contributed for enlightening of people from social enslavement and exploitation. For this Periyar movement decided and distanced from contesting election. But it is more concerned about who has to be elected by the people to rule. For that it would seek support for the candidates, even without expecting any formal request from the political party or political alliance.
In a way DK is more responsible than the political parties in canvassing at the time of election. It has been always critical about the rulers in their functioning and the consquential effect it causes to the society. The ideals of Periyar would be reflected in the rule of any political party. The main functional territory of Periyar movement became the land of Periyar. Now the need of Periyar i.e. Periyar’s ideology is expected and openly expressed by the leaders throughout the country.
Social Justice, initiated by Periyar today, has become the central axiom of the politics of the entire country
The present DMK government in Tamil Nadu led by M.K. Stalin has declared the birthday of Periyar, ‘Social Justice Day’ and all the state government employees have to take ‘Pledge of Social Justice’ on that day. Besides, the Government of Tamil Nadu has announced the translation and publication of Periyar works in 21 languages. This will add strength to the Globalisation of Periyar ideals thereby. Periyar is Globalised and the Globe is getting Periyarised.
