Thanthai Periyar used to say on many occasions that the root causes of poverty in our country are lack of scientific spirit and irrationalism. He was upset to note that we are lagging behind in progress, growth and development, compared with overseas countries. He voiced his regret through his editorials in ‘Kudi Arasu’.
Dear friends, cadres and well-wishers, I deeply regret the sufferings of our people living today below poverty-line. By thinking over this problem deeply I have arrived at the conclusion that lack of scientific spirit and self-respect have ruined the lives of our people. Brahmins, Manusmriti and Varnasrama have all blocked the achievement of our people. Shall we analyse the pitiable condition by introspection?
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Protests against Atheists
Today in India there are widespread protests against atheists. Most of the newspapers, weeklies and monthlies keep slinging mud on us. Infact, the theists are scared of us. They feel they are insecure. Hence, they have made it their mission to annihilate ‘atheists.’ The belief of our people in ‘god’ and religion has made them irrational and superstitious. Our people lack scientific temper, questioning spirit and a rational outlook in life. Theists easily take these gullible people for a ride. Greedy, lethargic people who hardly work survive by exploiting the poor people who work-hard. If Theism had not existed at all, the upper caste also would not have existed. Graded inequality was long ago a ploy of fanatics to divide people on the basis of birth. Blind faith of our people in ‘god’, religion and all the outdated ancient religious works had kept our people confined to the darkness of ignorance. Temple priests, rich land lords, farm owners, purohits, kings, queens, fake godmen and pontiffs also would not have existed, had our people been eternally vigilant. They stooped before the upper caste losing their self-respect and this has kept them suppressed and oppressed for centuries. The downtrodden people accepted their sufferings at one stage willingly giving up self-respect. The upper caste coteries took advantage of this cowardice and started belittling them as Sudras and Panchamas. I would say that all the theists on the earth are actually scared of the atheists. This fear has terribly disturbed the upper caste fanatics. The silent sufferings of poor labour class has encouraged the capitalists.
The Self-respect Movement
I started it in 1925 as a revolt against social injustice in society. This movement aims at annihilation of inequality and caste based discriminations. We insist on ‘everything for everyone’ but these upper caste fanatics say “everything is not for everyone.” Our movement is against gender bias. Therefore we have been fighting for women’s liberation and empowerment. We introduced self-respect marriages with multiple intentions. Such marriages are a great relief for poor and lower middle class parents. Lavish expenses are avoided and precious time and energy are also saved. We have been stressing that equal treatment should be meted out to our womenfolk. They must get property rights on a par with men, divorce rights and equal opportunities in education and employment.
Our movement is in favour of widow remarriages too. When a widower can marry again and start a new life why can’t a woman who has lost her husband, remarry? I practised what I preached, in my personal life too. I am against widows getting tonsured and quarantined. Isolating them and forcing them to live like an island is grave injustice. Women are not machines to generate human lives. They should have the right to avoid pregnancy. Parents should allow them to dress as they like it. They must be free to choose their partner in life at the right age. In brief, I believe that women were enslaved because people failed to raise voice of protest. For advancement in life, women’s liberation and empowerment are indispensable. A male dominated society cannot think of emancipation of women.
Blind belief and superstitions
Upper caste fanatics imposed unacceptable codes of conduct fabricated by Varnasrama, Manusmriti etc; They have made our people believe in non-existent gods, goddesses, heaven, hell, salvation, rebirth and several other idiocies. Unless our people get rid of all these blind beliefs, they will never be able to advance in life.
Our people believe in the meaningless theory of ‘Karma’ and exist in unreasonable fear. There is much obscenity in ancient mythologies, epics and spiritual fables. People should discard them all and become rational. They must inculcate spirit of enquiry and scientific temper if they are really interested in advancement in life. Failing to use the ability to reason is a great obstacle for advancement in life.
Waste of money on temples, festivals and worships
Temples exploit poor people to a great extent. They pour in large sums of money at temples and they worship in them. The funds accrued in temples are not being used for the welfare of the people. There is large scale embezzlement too in most of the temples. The temple priests thrive at the cost of the sweat of our poor people. How can there be advancement in life as long as people remain unaware of such exploitations?
Every year there are innumerable festivals. People squander their hard earned money and waste their precious time. A number of holidays are declared and manpower is wasted criminally. People hardly work for half of a year. How can we dream of advancement in life if this continues? Holidays should be drastically reduced. People should be motivated to work sincerely. We do not say that people should work like bulls but at least 8 hours of work should be there excluding Sundays. People in China and Japan work like busy bees. Most of our people get addicted to liquor and lie idle — Does it not affect economy?
Russia to be emulated
When Russians were being exploited by the royal gentry and the capitalists for a long period, the people woke up and realised the cause of their misery. There was a revolution called ‘October Revolution’ and the dictators were annihilated. They discarded religions and gods. Atheism spread all over Russia. Places of worship were shutdown. Prayers were prohibited in houses. God was banished. Churches were all converted as places for other purposes. The Russian Government has made people advance in life.
Our people are still involved in many bizarre rituals that are obnoxious and also nauseating. Long distance travel to various temples and wasting time in pilgrimages are other obstacles. People have become spendthrifts wasting huge sums of money. These idiocies ultimately push them from riches to rags. How can they advance in life until they wake up and realise their folly?
Astrology and Palmistry
These are other evils that prevent the advancement of people in life. Most people believe in astrologers who are actually charlatans. They either soak our people in false hope or threaten them by predicting disasters. Planets and Stars are objects of nature. People imagine faults in the Stars causing them miseries. Sun signs and horoscopes are other hurdles for our progress. People believe in fate and destiny and give up efforts to come up in life blaming their miseries on sins committed in their previous birth. Does this make any sense?
In match making process these astrologers spoil the lives of many girls by their miscalculations and erroneous predictions. Our destiny is in ourselves. We decide the so called “fate”. When the fault lies in ourselves, why should we blame planets and stars, the sun and the moon? Unless we throw overboard all these, advancement in life is really difficult.
Various forms of social injustice
Dividing people based on their birth, skin colour, race or heredity and isolating fellow human beings as unseeable, unapproachable and untouchable affect their advancement in life. This kind of dehumanisation must be annihilated. People must raise voice of protest against communal fanaticism and caste based disparities if they are really interested in advancement in their life. No one can help us if we fail to help ourselves.
We eradicated ‘family occupation system’ in order to help marginalised people advance in life. I still insist on avoiding it. Parents should not force their children to adopt their family occupations. A cobbler’s son need not survive as a cobbler. A barber’s son need not exist as a barber. Let children study and come up in life. Education is a mighty ladder to scale great heights in life. This should be remembered at all times.
Placing trust in fake godmen is another social evil in my opinion. They take you for a ride and rob you of your wealth. They sell a talisman and thrust useless thread pieces of various colours to deceive you. Is advancement in life possible carrying all these trash? Stay away from these tricksters and shed your irrationalist attitude if you are really bothered about progress in life.
Women empowerment
Women should be considered for all jobs on a par with men. In many of the overseas countries, women are in Army, Navy and Air Force too. This should happen in our country too. Women can drive vehicles, serve as stewardess, air hostess, police personnel, medical practitioners, educators and advocates. They are to be empowered with greater responsibilities. Male chauvinists must transform as womanists and help women advance in life. Men should share domestic chores with wife and let them rest for sometime everyday.
Scientific spirit and conduct
World countries have advanced owing to the growth and development in the field of science. It should happen in our country too. The world to come must see us at glorious heights. Many overseas countries have progressed owing to the discipline and impeccable conduct and character of people. Besides nourishing scientific temper and spirit of enquiry in us, we must also see that our conduct and character are blemishless. My dear readers, you are sure to advance in life if you have read attentively all that I have written for you.
Source: Kudi Arasu
Translated by: M.R. Manohar
