September 17 marks the birthday of Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy Naicker, commonly known as Periyar. A social activist, most famously known for establishing the Dravidar Kazhagam and starting the anti-caste Dravidian movement, people from across the country paid tribute to Periyar on Sunday, whose life and work as an anti-caste activist and feminist is extremely relevant even today.
Sincere tributes to great social reformer Periyar Ji. #HBDPeriyar
— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) September 17, 2017
My tribute to the great social reformer Thanthai Periyar on his birth anniversary
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 17, 2017
71) The Man who doesn't fit into any Frames - Thozhar Periyar !!#HBDPeriyar#Periyar139 pic.twitter.com/V0qGg9uX8L
— வானவில் விஜய் (@VanavilVijay) September 17, 2017
Periyar was a rationalist, one who believed that caste should be eradicated, and advocated for women’s rights. He is also credited with starting the Self-Respect Movement, in order to achieve a society where disadvantaged castes had equal rights. Both the main political parties in Tamil Nadu, the DMK and the AIADMK, owe their origins to this movement.
True. Periyar also did much to challenge patriarchy and gender discrimination; his writings on the subject are both brilliant and relevant https://t.co/XtjSV9HtJv
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 17, 2017
Remembering Periyar E Ramasamy, a social reformer, rationalist on his birthday today. His teachings continue to inspire the nation. pic.twitter.com/r4WrBIBpCS
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) September 17, 2017
I can only think of one great man born on Sept 17. Periyar was one of 20th century's most significant social reformers.
— Sruthisagar (@sruthisagar) September 17, 2017
#HBDPeriyar ! Religion makes Man an animal! Caste makes Man a drainage! pic.twitter.com/Gpm7K22DBN
— manickam tagore (@manickamtagore) September 17, 2017
We can't Ignore or Forget the ideologies those were rooted years back into our mind. They were just TRUTH. #Periyar #HBDPeriyar !!!
— V (@dirvenkatesh) September 17, 2017
#HBDPeriyar Your message will resonate long after your detractors disappear
— SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) September 17, 2017
pic.twitter.com/UnbxR91HGH
Remembering the greatest reformist n the one who fought for the rights,upliftment n empowerment of women #PERIYAR.. Wish we had him now. pic.twitter.com/MDE4rpQF6F
— khushbusundar (@khushsundar) September 17, 2017
He launched the idea of a separate Dravida Nadu, an idea that was later modified down to Tamil Nadu. In fact, his political legacy is still alive today as it was from the DK that the DMK was born, when CN Annadurai went on to launch the party after the Dravidar Kazhagam split.
Dr. ambedkar&Periyar who both worked for dalits, together in a Burma Buddhist conference,#Myanmar
— Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) September 17, 2017
#HBDPeriyar pic.twitter.com/M0iIxDcMFk
"Till fools are around, scoundrels will rule. That's democracy" - #HBDPeriyar
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) September 17, 2017
The man who ignited million minds & taught us to fight pic.twitter.com/tKiTaLaLZh
#HBDPeriyar
— C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) September 17, 2017
Tributes to one of the greatest revolutionary social reformers who listened to & gave voice to the oppressed. pic.twitter.com/WEO1Ua7r9g
Tributes poured in on social media for the revolutionary leader on his 139th birth anniversary.
Remembering an iconoclast on his birthday- #Periyar wanted to annihilate the societal constructs that stood between equality and humans pic.twitter.com/9YFgN9CjP0
— Aananth Daksnamurthy (@aananth95) September 17, 2017
#HBDPeriyar; his principles of social justice perhaps more relevant today than ever.
— Pooja Prasanna (@PoojaPrasanna4) September 17, 2017