The 4th International Humanist Self-Respect Conference
organised by Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle, Australia
and Periyar International, USA was held on 1st and 2nd
November, 2025 at Melbourne. During the first day events,
Asiriyar Dr.K.Veeramani, President, Dravidar Kazhagam
delivered a speech on-line from Chennai. The excerpts
from his speech are as follows:-
Dear friends, at the outset I convey my hearty thanks to all the dignitaries who have given us their invaluable time for this historic conference – especially to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru.M.K. Stalin, PATCA President Dr.Annamalai Mahizhnan, Sumathy Vijayakumar, the General Secretary of PATCA, Thiru.Arangamoorthy, the Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee and all others. I regret my inability to meet you all in person. I have some unavoidable commitments
and they require my presence here but I am glad speaking to you through this audio-video device.
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The theme of this Conference – Humanism, Self-Respect and Social Cohesion – is very much timely and apt. We are pleased to welcome the delegates from various countries. Infact, I feel, I am part and parcel of this conference. The subject chosen for the conference is highly relevant to the current political scenario. Humanism is being challenged and self- respect is being distorted. Therefore, social cohesion is the need of the hour not only for any particular country or society but for all human beings in the world. That is why delegates and dignitaries from Tamil Nadu and other countries are participating in it. I welcome you all from the land of Periyar, the land of self-respect, humanism and social cohesion.
Australia is a country that not only respects humanism, but also observes it. The self- respect of the people and the social cohesion
that we see here is very emulative and exemplary. I had an opportunity this year to participate in many conferences held here.
We appreciate and applaud the Government of Australia for patronising such significant conferences. The people here respect human dignity and human values. They have great regard for the aborigines and are very much apologetic towards them, who had contributed much to this country. They are not only being honoured but are also given very important place in all the functions here. The National Anthem of Australia itself is an evidence for that. PATCA is needed in Australia for all time since social cohesion in humanism is always to be respected on this soil.
In our country, caste is the major obstacle for social cohesion. Caste divides but social cohesion unites. Caste bias obstructs it in our
country. Self-respect is the basis for social cohesion. It makes us think why we should be slaves and accept all the outdated codes of conduct. For a long time, the domination of a few with the enslavement of many, had been our problem. This caused the birth of the
Self-Respect Movement in 1925 by the efforts of our lamented, the late Thanthai Periyar. His ideology was welcomed by Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar. They were like two sides of the same coin.
For a wider audience and for this particular audience, we would like to explain what sort of caste system prevails in India. Indian
caste system is a highly discriminatory one. In brief, it is anti-human because it dehumanises people. The caste system based
on the Varnasrama is the root of inequality that causes dehumanisation. Most of the people who are tillers of this soil and drawers of its water are dehumanised by caste system which discriminates our people.
Inequality can be wiped off if all are equalised but in the caste system equalisation is not possible until the entire system is annihilated. This is the striking difference between inequality and caste system. It is difficult for our foreign friends and others – particularly the Australians to understand the system of caste in India.
Caste discriminates and dehumanises. It never recognizes. Humanisation of dehumanised people is done by our movement. That
was the work of Thanthai Periyar and Baba Saheb Dr.Ambedkar. That is why this PATCA Association is named after them, to nourish
and flourish equality and self-respect; to ensure equal opportunities for all; to see that all our women get everything due to them.
Our country witnessed a strange kind of inequality termed as ‘graded inequality’. None could be on one level. One was above;
another was below; others under that. The right equation was not there. There was a clash – inequality Vs graded inequality we are happy, that kind of complex system is not there in your country.
Our people have assembled at your venue. The immigrants extended them a warm welcome. We are delighted by the human approach. You people have always respected fellow human beings, provided they prove themselves to be good citizens of Australia. This is to be appreciated and applauded. But even here we observe, some elements try to bring the same kind of discrimination as it exists in India, but in a different form. This crooked intention is reflected even in the syllabus meant for schools. To teach the tiny tots discrimination under the garb of culturalisation is too bad. This culture is something different; it is certainly not human culture. This is why PATCA has taken up that issue.
You are all able to be responsive towards us. You respond to our ideology and respect it. That is why we are all here to thank and
appreciate you. We should join hands and maul that evil system of discrimination. Many people in your country may ask why the problem of India should be brought to this country and discussed. That should not be the case. When COVID-19 epidemic cropped from one country, we had to jointly seek remedy by necessary action since the infection spread all over the world. Similarly – the problem faced by us in India could spread over your land too. That must be prevented. Prevention is better than cure. Therefore this conference is being held at the right time; at the right moment. It should be appreciated.
My dear comrades, we request you all to be on guard at all times. Eternal vigilance is very important. The philosophy of Thanthai
Periyar brought about drastic changes in our country. The downtrodden people were denied education. There was discrimination
in employment. Caste was the root cause of social injustice. The inevitable consequences of the caste system and the Varnasrama
would ultimately crush people under their heels. If this evil is imported by your land and if it is practised here, it would become
a communicable disease. If the caste bias is indoctrinated to the younger generation in Australia, even the society in your land could
be affected and aggrieved. This stresses the importance of this conference. The theme,‘Humanism, Self-Respect and Social Cohesion’
is relevant to Australia too.
Australia is known for its wonderful social- cohesion. It should not be spoiled by the evil caste system. The remedial measure lies in
the medicine already invented by our leader Thanthai Periyar 100 years ago. This effective medicine called ‘Self-respect’ has been very drastic in giving people a healthy way of life.
Following in the foot prints of Thanthai Periyar, our honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru.M.K. Stalin has formed the Dravidian Model Government adhering to all the principles of Periyar. It is a Government of, by and with Self-respectives and humanists. His ministry always insists on social cohesion. There is no place in our Dravidian Model Government for discriminations and degradations.
This conference assumes great importance because we are all on the same wave-length of thoughts; the thoughts of Periyar and
Ambedkar. This is more or less a preventive conference to alert you all so that the social evils and social diseases do not spoil the
entirely beautiful atmosphere and healthy life of humanism in Australia.
My sincere thanks to everyone of you at the venue of conference; particularly to all the delegates. Kindly take wise decisions in every issue and safeguard your society there. is the philosophy of our Dravidian Model Rule in Tamil Nadu. These golden words in Tamil mean “every city on the earth is our own place.”
We are not parochialists. Ours is not a sectarian philosophy. It is a vast, human embracing philosophy; Self-Respect philosophy. That
is why, humanism, Self-Respect and Social cohesion should exist everywhere at all times. Once again I thank you all and conclude my
speech, wishing this conference a grand success.
Long live Periyar Thought!
Long live Humanism, Self-Respect and
Social Cohesion!
