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My hearty greetings to everyone in this Conference Hall. I acknowledge and recognize the inhabitants of this great land Australia. We respect your contribution to this country, both in the past, present and in the days to come. My hearty thanks to PATCA
for this opportunity to speak at this historic conference.
I wish to speak on the inevitable need of Periyar and Ambedkar for us all, not only in our countries, but also for the entire world.
Dear friends, Periyar exists everywhere in this world in the form of his progressive thoughts and great principles. He has been globalised. None can disagree.
I made a very humble beginning in my life. My early days were spent in a school and a hostel meant for children from marginalised families, downtrodden by caste based atrocities. I swam against the cross currents of life. I worked hard and obtained my Post Graduate Degree in a medical course related to surgery. I advanced in life facing numerous challenges. I was greatly inspired by the thoughts and principles of Periyar and Ambedkar. As a Periyarist I am proud of my participation in this conference on their noble principles – humanism, self-respect and social cohesion. I have been honoured by PATCA for this golden opportunity. My sincere thanks to everyone associated with this historic event.
I recall the services of all our forefathers and leaders of yesteryears, like Mahatma Gandhi, Jefferson, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Fidel Castro. These great men fought against caste based discriminations and oppressions in society. The revolutionaries
in the past have raised voice against ethnic problems, language bias and clashes of cultures. Ever since humankind manifested
its existence these problems have been stifling us all. Compared to other revolutionaries, Periyar and Ambedkar were certainly unique. They gave top priority to humanism, self- respect and social cohesion, unlike all other revolutionaries. Periyar and Ambedkar waged a war in the minds of people without bloodshed and violence. That made them unique. We find two nations following Christianity engaged in a battle. We also find two predominantly Muslim countries at the throat of each other.Religions have divided people. Universal brotherhood is at a low ebb. The Holy Bible or the Quran does not sanction any kind of oppression, inequality or gender bias.
To quote Ambedkar – “No intellectual class in the world has prostituted its intelligence to invent a philosophy, to keep its fellow men in a perpetual state of ignorance and poverty, as the brahmins have done to India in the name of Hinduism.” Brahmins have imposed on us thousands of meaningless Sutras and Slokas and various spiritual texts. People in India stand divided into four Varnas. Brahmins have crushed our people under their heels through graded inequality and birth based disparities. Periyar and Ambedkar spent their entire life time fighting against this social injustice. Hence, I call them unique compared to other social reformers. In terms of religion, societal peace and litigation our rebellious society has been completely neglected by these Brahmin coteries. They made people believe that all the discriminations were ordained by the so called gods and goddesses.
Division of Labourers
Division of labour is essential for a stable society. It is universal for human kind. My hair dress, apparels, food, footwear were all the outcome of somebody’s labour. Everything that I use has been produced by different labourers. Division of labour is therefore essential for equilibrium of society to fulfil the needs of humankind. But in India we find division of labourers instead of division of labour. People have been divided as Arunthathiars, Sakkiliars and hundreds of other groups. These brahmins say that it is byreligious sanction and preordained by gods. This is a white lie.
Constitutional Journey and Ambedkar
Five intolerable aspects of Hindutva and Hinduism are –
i) graded inequality
ii) denial of education to the downtrodden
people
iii) denial of power and rights
iv) poverty everywhere
v) suppression of women
In 1946 when Clement Atlee announced that the Parliament of England had decided to grant freedom to India, Winston Churchill resisted it. He said India is incapable of independent rule because not even 20 per cent of the population is literate. He condemned Indians very harshly. But we were at last free and our constitution was formed by the efforts of Ambedkar and others in the committee. Fundamental duties of the citizens were adumbrated in the constitution. Social justice was insisted upon in all respects. That was the beginning of the journey of our constitution.
Constitution Assembly Debates and the
National Flag
There was a heated argument in the Assembly over determining the appearance of our National Flag. Gandhi suggested to accept
the Congress flag with the spinning wheel at the center. The RSS insisted on a saffron flag reflecting Jansangh ideology. Ambedkar
explained how the rule of Emperor Ashoka was a glorious period in Indian history. There was no caste system then. There was equality in all respects. Hence, as per the suggestion of Ambedkar it was decided that ours would be a tricolour National flag with Ashok Chakra at the center. It was unanimously accepted. The chakra, the wheel, implied rotation; moving further at all times. But today our glorious constitution is in threat because of some toxic forces in India. However, fundamental rights, secularism, sovereignty and impartial judiciary are four basic structures that cannot be changed even by the Parliament. As an advocate I am infact puzzled by some of the judgements delivered by the Apex Court in our country. We are upset by various moves that are unconstitutional. The basic principles and structures adumbrated in the constitution can never be amended. We need Periyar and Ambedkar at all times to safeguard our glorious constitution. They are needed not only for our country but for the entire world.
Scientific temper Vs. Superstitions
All sorts of oppressions in society are man-made – belief in god has nothing to do with it. Since belief in god is the root cause of religious and communal fanaticism, Periyar opposed god and denied god’s existence. He used to say at all times – “If you say that all discriminations are by the sanction of god, I would never ever accept the so called god. Belief in god must be uprooted from the minds of our people”. As an atheist, this was Periyar’s argument. He insisted on the dire need of scientific temper and eradication of superstitions. He believed that a scientific outlook in all walks of life would spontaneously eradicate belief in non- existent god and all the superstitions caused by the blind belief.
My wife was just 53 years old when she passed away. She was affected by Cancer. Inspite of the best medical treatment I could not save her. I accepted her end stoically. I did not rush to any temple as others in such a condition would generally do. As a true Periyarist, I endured the irreparable loss as an act of crooked Nature. I have always been living with a scientific temper
adhering to Periyar thought. I do not believe in fabricated tales about solar and lunar eclipse. I stay away from all kinds of superstitions. We need Periyar thought forever so that all our people could also be devoid of superstitions. He has been a social revolutionary in all respects. Hence, the world needs him at all times.
Self-respect and Rationalism
Nature has endowed only humankind with the power of reasoning and sense of Self-respect. Cows, bulls, horses do not have the reasoning power. Nor do they bother about self-respect. But we humans have been provided by Nature with a sense of self-respect and the power of reasoning. Periyar insisted at all times on these two virtues. According to him dignity and rationality beautify every man and woman. Hence, we should avoid irrational thoughts and approach everything in life with a rationalist outlook. We need Periyar forever because he educated us in this respect and taught us the value of rationalism. We need Ambedkar forever because he taught us the value of humanism and social cohesion.
I urge upon all our beloved friends of Australia to imbibe Periyar thought and spread it all over this land. I conclude my speech thanking PATCA for inviting us and conducting this memorable conference.
