Cuddalore: As 26-year-old Anwar fixes his bike just outside the Periyar Government Arts College in Cuddalore, he looks at the bust of Erode Venkatappa Ramaswamy, or Periyar as he was popularly known, through the college gate.
“For us, everything begins and ends with Thanthai (father) Periyar,” he says. “Parties only get votes because of him.”
Further north in Chennai, 19-year old Niyati Reddy, pursuing a vocational course in banking and finance from Stella Maris College, echoes Anwar.
She admits that she is not aware of the issues in the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections and doesn’t know who she will vote for but is clear on one aspect. “I would welcome a new party or person but with a Dravidian base,” she says.
Back in Cuddalore, 22-year-old Kesavan said he had no interest in Dravidian politics, yet the issues that he would factor in are “preservation of Tamil culture, language identity and secularism”, the very tenets of the Periyar movement.
Anwar, Reddy and Kesavan are among the 1.37 crore voters — of the total 6.26 crore electorate in Tamil Nadu — who are in the 18-29 age group.
Even for these young voters, there is no escaping the Dravidian ideology that has underpinned politics and elections in the state for nearly five decades.
Most of the youngsters ThePrint spoke to said the issues they will vote for are preservation of Tamil culture, non-imposition of Hindi and secularism.
Others argued the Dravidian ideology had waned and the focus should now be more on welfare politics. A sizeable number said Dravidian ideology meant opposition to BJP rule in the state.
Also read: From ‘rogue’ student leader to potential CM — DMK chief MK Stalin’s ‘natural metamorphosis’
The Dravidian movement & ideology
Periyar or Erode Venkatappa Ramaswamy was the harbinger of the Dravidian Movement also known as the self-respect movement, which he popularised in Tamil Nadu between 1930 and 1950.
A staunch atheist, Periyar repudiated God, fought for caste-based reservation and women’s rights, and demanded a separate Tamil state.
The Dravidian movement has been a permanent feature of the state’s political landscape since 1967, when the DMK, then under C.N. Annadurai, a one-time Periyar protege before the two fell out, stormed to power.
Both major parties in the states have their origins in the movement. The DMK is an offshoot of the Dravidar Kazhagam, which Periyar had formed.
The AIADMK was formed in 1972 after renowned actor-politician M.G. Ramachandran broke away from the DMK due to ideological differences.
Over the years, however, the ideology had undergone a change.
Muthukumar, head of department of the political science department at Presidency College in Chennai, told ThePrint that a major change was brought about by electoral politics.
“Social reform was one of the most important agendas of the Dravidian movement but now parties are more focussed on political power and are willing to make compromises,” he said. “This is the case with both the DMK and AIADMK.”
He pointed to the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP for the upcoming elections but added that even the DMK had made compromises and had tied up with Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s BJP in 1999. “Both parties had opposing ideologies but still fought the election together. This was in complete contrast to Dravidian ideology,” he said.
Pointing out other changes, he explained that leaders of Periyar’s Dravidar Kazhagam were staunch atheists while many DMK leaders believe in God. “Periyar also wanted a Dravidian state for all of South India. However, the focus is now on co-operative federalism,” Muthukumar said.
Also read: Prosperity line, not poverty line, will be my focus, want to bring TN above that: Kamal Haasan
BJP push to push out Dravidian ideals
The BJP, long seen as an upper caste, North Indian party in Tamil Nadu, is now looking to make inroads in the southern state. The party is looking to consolidate Hindu votes while also looking to redefine Dravidian politics.
Senior BJP leader H. Raja told ThePrint that Dravidian culture was synonymous with Hindu culture but had been “wrongly placed before the public for a few decades”.
“Today the whole Dravidian movement is irrelevant because it has become the private limited company of one family,” he said. “In the name of the Dravidian movement, people had to withdraw themselves into a shell.”
The BJPs alliance partner, the AIADMK, has also joined the bandwagon. Senior party leader and Cabinet minister K. Pandiarajan had at a recent conclave, hit out at what he said was the DMK’s version of Dravidian ideology. “The DMK interpretation of Dravidian philosophy was anti-Hindu, anti-Hindi and anti-Brahmin. It is not our concept,” he said.
AIADMK youth wing leader N.R. Sivapathy, however, believes that Dravidian ideology is no longer a factor. “It (Dravidian ideology) was popular during the time of leaders such as Kamaraj; nowadays, people are not following it,” he said.
It’s a view shared by the Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam. “Dravidian ideology doesn’t matter anymore. Youngsters are mainly concerned with jobs, opportunities and education,” C.K. Kumaravel, the party’s communication and propaganda general secretary, told ThePrint.
This thought process has some resonance among younger voters. Anand Mani, 24, a guest lecturer at the Government Arts and Science College for Women in Kodaikanal told ThePrint that he did not see Dravidian ideology anymore and that it was no longer present.
“There is a difference between welfare politics and Dravidian politics,” he said. “Dravidian ideology divided people on the basis of caste and focussed mainly on OBCs, leaving out the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The movement no longer has a charismatic leader.”
Not everyone, however, is buying it. “We take pride in our Tamil culture and ideology. The BJP does not understand the Dravidian ideology, they are outsiders,” 21-year-old Mullaivendhan, a first-time voter, told ThePrint.
‘Ever present, even subconsciously’
Experts, however, argue that most vote on Dravidian issues even when they are not aware of it.
Vignesh Karthik K.R, a PhD scholar at King’s College specialising in the Dravidian movement, explained that the ideology will always remain, either consciously or subconsciously. “One does not need to hold a flash pole, but it is always there and will always remain a factor,” he said.
Professor Ramu Manivannan, head of the political science department, said that ironically the BJP was reviving Dravidian ideals. Manivannan said in the past four years, he has seen a surge in debates on Dravidian philosophy. “I directly relate this to the BJP entering the state. The youth are now going back and reading Periyar’s works,” he said.
(Edited by Arun Prashanth)
Also read: Kamaraj, MGR & Jaya, BJP is using them all to fight ‘North Indian outsider’ tag in Tamil Nadu
Poor quality reporting. Old bromide. Reductionist opinion masquerading as reportage.
Do Muslims and Christians follow tamil culture? Do they have tamil names for their children? Do they wear tamil dresses veshti and saree?
Yes. Very much that muslims, christians use veshti and sarees in TN traditionally. Remember the Dravidian movement is not about dress, but about equality, social justice for all irrespective of religion, caste or other differences. Tamilnadu is way ahead in these aspect and upliftment of suppressed people.
Dravida movement, movement that openly insulted Tamil language was only about equality of Non Tamils in Tamil Nadu and aims to overthrow the Tamil language and Tamilians out of Tamil Nadu.
The burning alive of Tamil babies and Tamil adults to death by Dravida Tamil haters in 1969 was just an eye opener. When Telugu Karunanidhi was silent when Tamils were brutally murdered in Ceylon, it already exposed that Dravida movement means to topple Tamils as a race.
Dravida and Hindi parties belong to the same cult. Only a Tamilian Chief Minister and a Tamil party can solve problems caused by Dravida parties including bulk of reservation benefits going to non Tamils including Hindified Muslims, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalee castes at the cost of Tamils.
Brahmin and other castes were created by Dravida Telugu/Kannada haters of Tamils so that they hold power and brutalize Tamils, the 1969 burning alive of Tamils in Tamil Nadu by Dravida caste people should not be forgotten. The wounds are not yet healed and will never be.
Tamil state is only for Tamils, others are welcome, but non Tamils holding power is no more being welcomed.
Anwar following periyar because periyar insulted hindus. Will anwar follow taslima?
The stupid EVRists and DMK fellows are Hinduphobic and Brahminophobic. Why do they talk of secularism when they can’t practice?
The stupid EVRists and DMK fellows are Hinduphobic and Brahminophobic. Why do they talk of secularism when they can’t practice?
What is your secularism ? Vedic domination?
Muslims, Christians and tribals feel absolutely safe in Tamilnadu. And the Hindus in TN are perfectly ok with that. Go on make Karnataka an exemplary Hindutva Lab of the South but please don’t dream about doing that with the rest of the South.
This is a paid article, there is no Dravidian image for any person only film based personality ruled so for.Liquore and film are cheating people with faulse information.
Dai comment ezhudhuravan paera paathaale theriyudhu neenga enna solla poreenga nu.
It is sad that our youth still talk of language, community, Dravidian etc in this digital age. This is the worst contribution to Tamilnadu by the DMK and it’s ilk. They don’t want exams, they want reservation for ever, they will waste enormous time in meaning less movies, they will say they are against Hindi but will own school teaching Hindi? Tamilnadu may have to suffer from Dravidian parties may be for a maximum of 15 years. Vaiko has surrendered, Vijay kanth untraceable, PMK shrunk to a castist party.
Now I am at 75. I had no party identity. I was a college student in peryar’s era. When I was the school student, I could not pass through the agraharam with wearing chappal. Still I am having the pain in my hart. In class rooms we the people had different treatement given by the teachers particularly belonging to Brahmin community, even though I am belonging to OBC. We were redeemed from this slavary by the work of Peryar and his Dravidian movement. Dravidian philosophy not political issue. It is to get the freedom from the autocratic Brahminisim and the imperialistic one Nation one language unitary concept of Delhi. Some body is diverting the imposition oh Hindi and Sanscrit saying those were not imposed. They may not know the fact, in some part of Tamil Nadu, Kilometer stones are now holding the destinations in Hindi only. Some body are speaking about the economy. Tamil Nadu stood second to Maharastra in GDP. This happens during the Dravidian party rule. Each and every villages are linked with permeant bitumen Roads. All villages are linked with Mass transport system. Almost there is no drop outs in continuing the collegiate education. All the villages were electrified before 1977. To day, 5 persons are working in abroad from each village in average. I can cite more and more about the achievement of Dravidian party rule of this state. DMK has empowered the ladies in getting their full property right. It also made the poor farmers as the partner of the lazy upper caste Brahmin land lords. So they were not survive in that scenario, so they sold all the lands particularly in Tanjore district. That the same peryar’s follower Karunanithi, made 35 % reservation in Government job exclusive for ladies. What is the present problem in Tamil Nadu? Those who had affected by these reforms, driving this Hindutva philosophy in to Tamil Nadu. These forces are the band wagon of North Indian based organization. They were convenient in north Indian people by saying jai Sriram . But that slogan can’t take root in Tamil Nadu. India is the landscape in which several ethnicities are living with their own culture and their mother tongue. How can we accept unitary concept on the basis of Brahmin dominated Hindu sentiment and Hindi fundamentalism.
Ask why your Telugu leader Karunananidhi did not reserve jobs for Tamils, only for your Telugu Dravida clan. Brahmin and other casts were created by your Telugu / Kannada origin rich fake backwards originating from Vijayanagar empire to over throw Tamils out of Tamil Nadu.
Dravida hatred for Tamils and Tamil language will be opposed tooth and nail. Your fake opposition of Islamic origin language Hindi is also exposed as speaking in Tamil is banned in DMK run schools.
Dravida movement is anti Tamil movement aiming to overthrow Tamil out of Tamil Nadu.
Dravida parties will be replaced by Tamil parties, only a Tamilian Chief Minister can solve problem caused by Non Tamil Dravida parties who are in the same team as Hindi parties.
50 years ago, used to speak and write 4 regional languages and English, the international language. Looking back, I suppose only the international language saved me. All regional languages, including mother tongue, wasted my time and energy.
This article is misleading and, probably, demeaning the youth of the region.
One can live on love and fresh air too. It will be a happy life but a very short one. Does it speak well for the Nation that matters of Governance (electing Governments) is purely based on culture and language? (will handle secularism a bit later). No culture or language can sustain without a robust economy for it to thrive in. Culture, language and secularism are societal issues and not matters for electing a Government whose primary responsibility is the wellbeing of the people, which can be achieved only with money; with education, technological and industrial progress and trade. Being from these regions of the country I am sanguine that the youth (I too was once a youth) in these parts know it very well. I wonder which youth this author spoke to and to how many youths.
What is secularism (religious). I suppose it simply is that each religion recognize each of the other religions and its GOD(s). Period. For a society to be secular the religious leaders should periodically come together on a common platform and proclaim “Your God(s) is as good as mine; your path to reach him is as good as mine”. Period. If this is done in a society no politician can use religion to garner votes.
“.. For a society to be secular the religious leaders should periodically come together .. and proclaim “Your God(s) is as good as mine; your path to reach him is as good as mine”. Period. If this is done in a society no politician can use religion to garner votes ..”
Additionally, your utopian idea of secularism does not exist in any country in the world.
Most definitions of secularism regard the term as the degree of separation between the state i.e. government and the religions that operate in a given country. The religious freedoms in a country also come under the ambit of secularism. Thus, you have several variants of secularism in the world today.
1. ACTUAL OFFICIAL RELIGION: In primarily Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia etc., the official religion is Islam and the clergy have immense say in the affairs of the state. You also see this in some Catholic countries like Philippines, Argentina, Ireland, Poland etc. where the Church does influence state policy in many areas such as marriage, divorce, abortion, gay rights, same sex marriage and so on. In many Islamic countries, there is limited freedom of religion for non-Muslims. But generally in Western democracies, religious minorities are not persecuted.
2. SYMBOLIC & DE JURE OFFICIAL RELIGION WITH DE FACTO & DE JURE SECULARISM: In countries like Norway, UK, Sweden etc. Christianity is the official religion from a purely ceremonial and historical point of view. However, the Church does not interfere in the affairs of the state and people are free to practise other religions.
3. DE JURE SECULARISM WITH DE FACTO OFFICIAL RELIGION: You see this in places like India and Bangladesh. Whilst the Constitutions of these countries enshrine secularism and the state has no religion, in reality, the majority religion influences policy making. In both Bangladesh and India, there is a drift from the original intent of secularism. Additionally, the space for religious minorities in both countries is seen to be shrinking.
4. LAÏCITÉ: No official religion and complete separation of state from religion as seen in France. The French state does not encourage any religion, nor does it discourage any religion as long as the religion in question does not trample upon the rights of citizens. In France, it also means that when in the employ of the state, the representative if the state cannot display religious symbols such as a prominent rosary or cross, the Sikh turban, the burkha etc. etc. Although there are no issues with sporting a Sikh turban or wearing a prominent rosary whilst in the streets. The French version is built on the 4 principles of liberté, égalité, separation & neutralité. The French approach which allows full religious freedom contrasts with the former USSR version of secularism where religion was actually suppressed.
For an excellent explanation in French see the link: “La Laïcité en 3 minutes”. I have also linked to the English version “Ask a French Teacher – What is LA LAÏCITÉ?”. If you wish to hear English spoken with a thick French accent, head over to the second version !
Most countries fall somewhere between these 3 models. But it is worth noting that today, one witnesses a gradual erosion of religious freedoms in de jure secular countries like India, Indonesia, Bangladesh etc. and they are becoming more and more like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The nexus between mullah, Military & Minister in Pakistan is a fait accompli. But the nexus between baba and mantri in India creates in India a Hindu Pakistan and the intolerance that goes with copying an intolerant Islamic country. And I doubt that an alliance of religious leaders batting for tolerance is the answer to this essentially political power grab by netas riding on and exploiting religious intolerance.
REFERENCES
La Laïcité en 3 minutes, ref: bit.ly/2P1L3kt
Ask a French Teacher – What is LA LAÏCITÉ?, ref: bit.ly/2PmdzwX
Tamils have best social indicators in the country. Even their education system is superior to other states. Even their welfare or PDS system works much better than other states in the South (Kerala also is as good as TN) .Other economically developed states have poor social indicators. In those states do you consider that it is good governance or simply a businessman-politician relationship? For that matter many foreign businesses are eager to invest in TN as the working class here is more simple minded and sincere in their attitude to work. TN people are also more law abdiding. But TN is handicapped due to heat and scarcity of good water resources.
So what exactly is BJP bringing to the table? Language and culture is not a disadvantage.
Mr Nagasamy: Excellent comment Sir !
To your question: ”
So what exactly is BJP bringing to the table?”
let me try some answers.
The entry of the BJP in Tamilnadu will surely usher in the following:
1. Religious strife
2. Hindi imposition through backdoor methods
3. BIMARU culture
4. Caste violence
It is imperative that these fascist North Indian forces are kept out of the South. TN has come far ahead in many socio-economic indicators and that can’t be jeopardised.
Nagasamy,
I am in total agreement with your points of development.
This is exactly my point too. Culture, language and religion (caste too) etc. are integral to the society and this should not have anything to do with electing Governments. Economic and development aspects, as is done, should and and HOPEFULLY is not dictating voting patterns.
Disclaimer: I am not batting for any team. Any Government anywhere should be elected solely for development.
Dravidian politics has outlived it’s utility. People vote for economic prosperity.
The DMK is only a family firm now. The AIADMK is slightly better. So much for ideology. Not sure how many know that Periyar, the founder of DK was an iconoclast whose ideas even the current generatioay find difficult to digest. His most famous words, not sure about the context though was ” Tamil is the language of barbarians and Tamils are so backward that they need a non-Tamil to lead them”. Periyar was a non-Tamil just like MGR, possibly Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha, Rajnikant ( though not a politician). Kamalahasn can never win because he is a homegrown Tamilian. Annadurai was an exception and a great man unlike his more famous followers.
Mr Vish: You are right when you say that the DMK is nothing more than a profit chasing family firm with some of the most corrupt people in Indian politics. The Congress Party is another such family firm as are the Reddy firms of AP and the Patnaik firms of Orissa. And as you rightly point out, the AIADMK is not much better either.
But your family does not have to own a political party to control it. Crony capitalists like the Ambani and Adani families do not own the BJP but they nonetheless run the BJP. What do you say to that elegant method of democracy capture Mr Vish?
Sadly, India is run by family dynasties or one man outfits such as the Kejriwal, Mamta Bannerjee or Mayawati groupings. And voters don’t seem to care. Therein lies the tragedy of democracy in India – there is serious a lack of choice.
As the French philosopher and diplomat Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821) said:
“Every country has the government it deserves”
Nobody is imposing Hindi on them, what kind of gasbag idea is this. And as for secularism, sure teach that to Islamists, else become a second Kerala/Kashmir in a decade.
Tamils are originally an ancient culture independent of the Vedic culture. The common man in TN has got absorbed by Vedic culture (spread by priests coming in from the North) gradually over centuries like it happened to most pre-Vedic people in India. But they unlike North India have managed to retain a semblance of their independent identity due to the language. Respect all cultures and identities please. We are a diverse nation.
Nonsense Percussionist !
Hindi is being sneak introduced into the South by the BIMARU centric BJP bhakths and the RSS. The language has to be expunged from all official communications and signage in Southern States. Indeed, opposition to Hindi was greatest in Maharashtra as the Shiv Sena emphasised Marathi in official state business – and rightly so.
I have no opposition to Hindi as a language or Hindi being taught for those who wish to learn it. But Hindi carries baggage and the BJP will only wake up sleeping dogs by emphasising Hindi as it does now. Additionally Hindi is an undeveloped langauge when it comes to the business of running a modern government. For instance, Amit Shah imposed Hindi in the Home Ministry and promptly discovered that even Hindiwalas could not work in Hindi.
And as far as your opposition to secularism, pray tell us what you wish to replace it by. Hindutva ?