Asiriyar Dr. K. Veeramani
President, Dravidar Kazhagam
(The Self-Respect Movement, founded by Thanthai Periyar in 1925, completed its glorious hundred years in 2025. Throughout the year, centenary celebrations were held across Tamil Nadu, culminating in the grand valedictory event on 4 October 2025 at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chengalpattu.)
Related articles
Dear friends, cadres, well-wishers, members of the media, celebrities, and all distinguished invitees, I convey my heartfelt thanks to every one of you for your enthusiastic participation that has made this conference a resounding success.
The Dravidian movements have made history by organizing numerous conferences—both before and after the birth of the Self- Respect Movement. Honouring our Dravidar Kazhagam as the Parent Movement of the DMK, our Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru M. K. Stalin, has once again affirmed Periyar’s global legacy. By unveiling Periyar’s portrait at Oxford University, he has proved that Periyar has been Globalised—and the Globe has been Periyarised! At that historic moment, our Chief Minister
declared with pride that “the world will henceforth be guided by Periyar Thought.” As the chief architect of the Dravidian Model
Rule, Thiru M. K. Stalin stands today as an invincible and steadfast leader who meets every challenge with courage. Political
adversaries are threatened by his strength and conviction—he is truly a lion-hearted leader among men. The progressive welfare schemes implemented under his leadership have not only transformed Tamil Nadu but have also inspired other nations to emulate them. The world now recognizes Thiru M. K. Stalin as an indefatigable and visionary leader. His gracious presence here today is an honour to us all.
For the past week, Tamil Nadu has witnessed heavy rain and unfavourable weather. Yet today, nature itself seems to have blessed us with clear skies—allowing this momentous event to unfold uninterrupted. We last celebrated the 80th Anniversary of the Self-Respect Movement here at Chengalpattu, twenty years ago, when Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi was Chief Minister. The first Self-
Respect Conference in 1929 was also held here—when Kalaignar was a mere five-year- old child! From those humble beginnings, Kalaignar grew into a mighty warrior of social justice.
Through his tireless efforts, the principles of self-respect and equality reached every corner of Tamil Nadu. By his reformist zeal,
our women gained property rights and full equality in all spheres. Today, at this centenary celebration, Kalaignar’s son and uccessor, our Hon’ble Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, stands before us— continuing the glorious Dravidian legacy. Two months ago, I underwent a major surgery. Though my doctors advised complete rest, I could not stay away from this historic occasion. Even our Chief Minister urged me to take care—but when he works tirelessly for noble causes, how can we rest? Should we not strengthen his arms in his mission? You, Chief Minister, are like a live wire—your political opponents are but glow-worms that would be scorched if they come near you! A few glow-worms from the North may join hands with your rivals, but they cannot harm you on this soil of Periyar. Our Self-Respect Movement will always be your shield.
Look around at the exhibits at this venue—they speak eloquently of Periyar’s ideas and the relentless labour of our black-shirt soldiers. Each of them carries the torch of self-respect. Our deeds speak louder than words We are not a movement for electoral gain or positions of power—we are a people’s movement, forever devoted to the upliftment of the downtrodden and to the cause of human dignity. Though I initially hesitated to proceed with this event because of my health, I drew strength from you all—my comrades in this movement. You are my medicine and my motivation. Because of our shared resolve, we are celebrating this grand culmination today.
Recently, our Chief Minister thundered, “I shall never allow Tamil Nadu to stoop before anyone!” He deserves countless blessings for that proud proclamation. His vision also drives the creation of ‘Periyar World’, a Rs.100-crore mega project at Siruganur near Tiruchirappalli—a monumental tribute to Thanthai Periyar that will soon stand among the wonders of the world. Some looked anxiously at the sky this morning, fearing rain. But I placed my faith in the indomitable spirit of the Tamil people—a spirit
that soars higher than the sky itself! Our event continues smoothly under this calm weather, a symbol of our unshakable determination. Let us ignore those who envy our achievements. Let us march forward and elevate self-respect to even greater heights. Today marks a magnificent milestone in our century-long journey. At this historic juncture, I urge every cadre to speak less and act more—to guard our Chief Minister from malicious forces. We are an army in black, united in purpose. We will work tirelessly to ensure his victory in the 2026 Assembly Elections.
In political alliances, some may ask, “How many seats for us?” But I say—your seats are our seats, for we dwell in your hearts, on’ble
Chief Minister! The guiding principles of the **DMK—Duty, Decorum, and Discipline—**were coined by Arignar Anna. When Anna passed away, Thanthai Periyar, deeply moved, wrote a tribute titled: “Anna is gone. Long live Anna.” He meant that while Anna may have departed in body, his ideals would live forever. Dravidianism is immortal—no power on earth can destroy it.
After Anna’s passing, Periyar instructed Kalaignar Karunanidhi to carry forward the mantle. Kalaignar obeyed his command and
proved to be an even mightier administrator— so much so that political opponents whispered that Anna was the easier rival! Such was Kalaignar’s strength. When Kalaignar too departed, it was a natural law of life. Science has extended human lifespan—but not immortality. If it ever did, our continued achievements would be the gifts of science, not of imaginary gods or goddesses. We shape our own destiny. Political adversaries tried to destabilize Kalaignar’s government but failed. Guided by Periyar’s revolutionary spirit, he broke the barriers of orthodoxy. Thanks to his reforms, people of all castes can now serve as temple priests.
When Periyar passed away, Kalaignar accorded him a State Funeral—even when some warned that his government might fall. He boldly declared, “If my government falls because I honoured Periyar, I shall consider it my greatest pride.”That was Kalaignar’s unflinching resolve.
Today, I challenge all the toxic forces from the North: do not attempt to threaten us with hired hooligans. You cannot topple the Tamil Nadu government—it is a rock-fort, not a sand- castle!
Our Chief Minister has declared Thanthai Periyar’s birthday as “Social Justice Day.” We, the followers of Periyar, will guard him like
sentinels on the battlefield. Our mission is clear: to ensure that Thiru M. K. Stalin returns as Chief Minister in 2026. Your duty is to enter Fort St. George; ours is to stand sentry at its gates. We pledge here to fulfil that promise.
Our immediate agenda is the 90-day campaign tour beginning in November 2025. Under my leadership, we shall visit all 69 districts of Dravidar Kazhagam and all 72 districts of the DMK, covering every one of the 234 Legeislative Assembly constituencies.
Our rallies will be held under two banners:
“This is RSS–BJP Rule” and “This is Dravidianism – The Dravidian Model Rule.”
It will be a whirlwind campaign to ensure victory in 2026.
When Periyar launched the Self-Respect Movement, he said:
“This is a small engine, but it will travel across the world and guide it.” Today, under Thiru M. K. Stalin, that prophecy stands fulfilled. He has carried Periyar’s message to Japan, Singapore, and London. As a token of gratitude, we shall ensure his triumph in the forthcoming elections. Your victory in 2026 will be the victory of Social Justice itself. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar emphasized that equality is the foundation of society. For four years, our Chief Minister has worked tirelessly to build that egalitarian order. His Dravidian Model governance has already made history. For the next six months, our only mission is to secure your victory, Hon’ble Chief Minister. We
shall labour ceaselessly toward that goal. When Kalaignar passed away, critics declared that “Tamil Nadu has been left with apermanent void.” We responded: “It is no void—it is a fortress!” Your leadership, Thiru M. K. Stalin, has proved that beyond doubt. You will emerge victorious in 2026, and we shall celebrate that triumph here once again. Let us silence our opponents through your success. This is Periyar’s land, the land of the Tamils. May the Dravidian Model endure forever. May our Dravidian tradition never perish. Let us all unite to strengthen our resolve and carry forward this mission. Long Live Periyar! May the Self-Respect Movement continue to grow and guide humanity!
