K. Veeramani
The efforts of the ideological opponents of Periyar who project him as ‘non believer’ were nullified with the larger participation – of believers and devotees in revolting against the vandalisation of Periyar statue.
Periyar’s humanist ideology is relevant both at the country level and the global level. The translation of Periyar’s principles into practice has created huge and great impact in the State of Tamil Nadu besides its influence in the neighbouring States as well as in other parts of the country. The impact of Periyar’s humanist propaganda could be seen from the peaceful, harmonious living condition in the land, despite the enormity of communal riots and religious atrocities especially when Babri Masjid was demolished by Sangh Parivar in 1992.
The saffron brigades could not tolerate the peace prevailing in the State, nurtured through the arduous mission of Periyar spanning almost a century. Though Periyar was rebellious in the accomplishment of the humanist agenda against the discriminated social order, his method of rebellion was devoid of any violence. In that way Periyar nurtured the mindset of the masses not to fight physically against the dominant section but ideologically.
Once again the people of Tamil Nadu cutting across the partylines proved their solidarity revolting against the Sangh Parivar functionary who posted in Facebook suggesting the vandalisation of Periyar statue in Tamil Nadu after the barbaric demolition of the statue of the revolutionary leader of proletarian class, Lenin in Tripura, the North Eastern State. ‘Demolition’ of anything considered iconic by the major section has been the repeated agenda of Sangh Parivar for many years.
The focus of BJP shifted towards Tamil Nadu vehemently after they assumed the political power at the Centre. Paying attention to developing one’s own political party in the State is not at all objectionable; but they implement the agenda by instigating violence in the harmonious State. For that H.Raja, National Secretary of BJP has been repeatedly commenting on Periyar in derogatory terms. During all these times the people of Tamil Nadu remained calm, ignoring his uncultured utterances against Periyar in public platforms. When police complaint was lodged against the utterances made on the revered leader of people, it was just formally registered and no further action was taken. The minds of the masses were reaching the boiling point and attained climax at the specific FB posting by the BJP functionary. The contents of the FB postings of H.Raja were as follows:
Who is Lenin?
What is his connection with India?
What is the link of Communism with India?
Lenin statue was broken in Tripura.
Today, Lenin statue in Tripura.
Tomorrow, casteist E.V.R. statue in Tamil Nadu.
As the consequence of the instigation, one local functionary of the BJP along with another person has vandalized the statue of Periyar at Thirupathur of Vellore district. The head of Periyar statue was damaged by defacing it and the spectacles had fallen down. After knowing of the vandalisation of Periyar statue, instigated by the BJP functionary, the entire Tamil Nadu rose in unison spontaneously. Except the BJP, ruling at the Centre, all the political parties and social organizations conducted agitations, demonstrations, picketings opposing the action and attitude of Sangh Parivar. The youngsters suddenly burnt the effigy of the BJP functionary. Within 24 hours of FB posting, the whole Tamil Nadu rose up with solidarity to oppose the vandalisation of Periyar statue, condemning the attitude of Sangh Parivar.
When uncultured comments were uttered on earlier occasions by the BJP national functionary, the BJP as political party maintained the conspiracy of silence. None of the BJP leaders opposed the barbaric comments of H.Raja. But at the latest in episode, the FB posting instigating vandalisation of Periyar statue was disowned by the Tamil Nadu State President of BJP as if the text of the posting was the personal views of H.Raja and not of BJP organizationally.
The social media were flooded with comments condemning the FB posting and the posted BJP functionary. The youth and student communities spontaneously landed at the field launching agitations, raising their angered expression as fiercy slogans. Their anger was poured out by burning the effigy of the BJP national functionary. The agitators were arrested in multitudes throughout the State of Tamil Nadu.
All political parties both national and regional and the social organizations entered the agitational arena to protest the Hindutva agenda behind the Facebook posting for the accomplishment of which Periyar and his ideologies remain as great hurdle to the Sangh Parivar. When all the political parties, despite their subtle differences on the political arena joined together and condemned the attitude of arrogance coupled with oppression of ideologies other than Hindutva, the ruling party in the State had to issue a statement condemning the posting despite its aligned functioning as per the dictum and direction of BJP.
The efforts of the ideological opponents of Periyar who project him as ‘non believer’ were nullified with the larger participation – of believers and devotees in revolting against the vandalisation of Periyar statue.
All these happened within 24 hours of FB posting by the BJP national functionary. H. Raja was summoned by the high command of BJP to Delhi. Whatever little efforts put forth by BJP to create a base in Tamil Nadu were spoiled by the rise in unison of the entire population of Tamil Nadu.
After meeting the national president of BJP, H.Raja issued a statement that the text of FB was not posted by him but was done by his ‘admin’. The posting was carried out without his knowledge. On knowing this, he withdrew the FB posting instigating the vandalisation of Periyar statue. The Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi issued a statement that any act of vandalisation or defacing the statue of any leader will be dealt with seriously. There is a miraculous change in the attitude, of course deceptive, of Narendra Modi. As the Prime Minister, whenever any problematic happenings occur in the country, he will either be away from the country or will be keeping mum without expressing anything on the happenings. It happened so even when Parliamentary sessions were enduring. Contrary to all these past responses, Narendra Modi had pronounced a statement within 24 hours of the uprise of people in Tamil Nadu in solidarity with iconic Periyar. Nearly 45 years have passed by since the mortal demise of Periyar. The immortal Periyar remains iconic through the impact, created in Tamil Nadu through his public life and contributions. Many organizational leaders in different walks of life in other states of the country also aligned themselves with the solidarity in Tamil Nadu, fortifying the iconic Periyar. The chief ministers of neighbouring states and the leaders of the mainstream political parties both national and regional condemned the actions of Sangh Parivar.
When the up-rise in Tamil Nadu has not subsided, the dramatic withdrawal of the BJP national functionary has been exposed by the new posting in his FB.
Since revolt of Tamil people was spontaneous and in unison, the Sangh Parivar strategize to turn them against Periyar through random statements of Periyar about Tamil language, deliberately taking them out of the context.
The FB posting in order to break the unity of Tamils, states that Periyar said Tamil language was barbaric. Besides, Periyar pointed out Tamil as Sani (Saturn) causing evils. Periyar’s language policy was humanistic without subjugating or making one language subordinate to another. When societal changes and transformations are taking place the language of people must change according to the development and progress made in the society.
Any language which remains constant and obvious to the reasonable and needy changes cannot be useful to the people who use that language. Besides, Periyar explained that literary works in Tamil are mostly oriented on praising the kings and gods mainly to focus the cult Bhakti (devotion), saying nothing on scientific temper, but encouraging the subjects on blind faith or belief without rationality. Only a few exceptions are available in Tamil literature. Tamil language has to be reformed making it easy to learn and facilitating it towards modernization.
Periyar only did propaganda on these lines but reformed the Tamil script in 1935 and practised the reformed script in his own publications and periodicals. Periyar’s, uniqueness lies in the pioneering role of his practicing what he had preached. The usage of reformed Tamil script was exceptional in Tamil text and social media. During the Birth centenary of Periyar (1978-1979), the State Government of Tamil Nadu officially accepted the reformed Tamil script, practised by Periyar and ordered for its usage in all communications of government and academic curriculum of educational institutions. Periyar’s reformed Tamil script became the order with due notifications of the Governments in the neighbouring countries of India viz. Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka where Tamil is recognized as one of their official languages.
Periyar opposed the subjugation of Tamil language to Sanskrit. Sanskrisation made Tamil language subservient and made it secondary in usage by the Tamils. In certain usages viz., prayer in temples, the usage of Tamil was nullified by Sanskrit. Tamil language is being secondary status in its own land.
When Hindi language learning was made compulsory in schools of the then Madras Province in 1938, strategically as an agenda for sanskritisation, Periyar revolted against it and mobilised the Tamil scholars and intellectuals along with the public and stopped the move. Independent India also imposed Hindi language under the guise of national language. All the languages of the country are national languages. No language has to be given special treatment. In that way Periyar fought for the linguistic identity and equality of Tamil language as well as all other languages of the country.
When the parents taunt their children as, ‘you barbaric’ it does not mean that the parent wants their children to be barbaric but to be civilized. The purpose of commenting negatively is to improve them, to motivate them, to make them strive for positivity and progress. Similarly Periyar’s comments about Tamil language without quoting the pre or post text and posting any of the intermittent sentences in Facebook by the BJP national functionary will be easily seen through by Tamil people. To the extent FB postings are made to project Periyar in a negative sense, the solidarity of Tamil people and all other oppressed people irrespective of their languages will be strengthened; the disastrous agenda of BJP and other Sangh Parivar would be exposed.
So far only a little political victory has been genuinely attained by the BJP. The rest of the political victory is maneuvered by BJP. These pseudo victories are projected as if BJP has gained popularly in majority of the states of the country.
BJP tries to implement its game plan in Tamil Nadu. The membership enrolment giving missed mobile phone calls to the public will itself show the ideological travesty of the party. Never can the BJP accomplish its agenda directly. The harmony and secular fabric of Tamil Nadu will remain intact through the iconic Periyar. No saffron agenda will weaken the public perception in Tamil Nadu. Discouraging any organization from forming alliance with BJP will only save the secular fabric of the country. This sort of perception has started to strengthen the whole of the country. The political defeat of BJP in the by election held in the States of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is the proof of such perception.
Only the unity of anti saffron forces will strengthen the unity and integrity of the country. For that the iconic stature of Periyar, Ambedkar, Lenin and other progressive statesman will add strength.
