AKandukur Veeresalingam
BC Iyodhee Panditha
CChembeti Sridharalu Naidu D
DEV Ramaswamy Naicker
Answer:
D. EV Ramaswamy Naicker
Read Explanation:
E.V. Ramasamy Naicker: The Father of the Self-Respect Movement
Background and Early Life
E.V. Ramasamy Naicker, popularly known as Periyar, was born on September 17, 1879, in Erode, Tamil Nadu.
He belonged to a wealthy merchant family and received basic education.
Periyar's early experiences with religious hypocrisy and caste discrimination deeply influenced his later activism.
Entry into Public Life and Indian National Congress
Initially, Periyar was a member of the Indian National Congress and even served as its Erode President.
He was deeply concerned about social issues and actively participated in the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924) in Kerala, which aimed at securing the right of entry for lower castes into temples and public roads.
However, his disillusionment grew with the Congress party's stance on caste issues and reservations, leading to his resignation.
Founding of the Self-Respect Movement
In 1925, Periyar founded the Self-Respect Movement (Kudiyarasu).
Objective: The movement aimed to eradicate the caste system, promote rationalism, and achieve social equality for all individuals, regardless of their caste, religion, or gender.
Key Principles: It advocated for self-respect, atheism, women's rights, inter-caste marriages, and the rejection of religious superstitions and Brahminical dominance.
Periyar believed that true self-respect could only be achieved by questioning traditional beliefs and social hierarchies.
Key Contributions and Ideology
Rationalism: Periyar was a staunch advocate of rationalism and encouraged people to question everything, especially religious doctrines and social customs.
Anti-Caste Struggle: His lifelong battle against the caste system was central to his activism. He argued that caste was a man-made construct that perpetuated inequality and injustice.
Women's Rights: Periyar was a pioneer in advocating for women's liberation. He supported widow remarriage, opposed child marriage, and championed equal rights for women in education and property.
Dravidian Movement: The Self-Respect Movement laid the foundation for the broader Dravidian Movement, which emphasized the cultural and political identity of Tamil people.
Language and Literature: Periyar used various platforms, including newspapers like 'Kudiyarasu' and 'Viduthalai', to spread his ideas.
Legacy
E.V. Ramasamy Naicker is revered as the 'Father of Modern Tamil Nadu' and a significant social reformer in India.
His ideas and the Self-Respect Movement had a profound and lasting impact on Tamil society and politics, influencing social reform policies and the trajectory of Dravidian political parties.