Keep the fire of the self-respect movement going

Sub :History

SEC: Modern India

Context:

Hundredth year of the Self-Respect Movement.
Self-Respect Movement was part of broader Dravidian movement against Brahminical hegemony.

Self-Respect Movement:

A radical social reform movement in South India that aimed to achieve equality for those oppressed by the caste system.
The movement was founded in 1925 by V. Ramaswamy Naicker, commonly known as Periyar.
The movement aimed at destroying the contemporary Hindu social order in its totality and creating a new, rational society without caste, religion and God.
In 1925, Periyar also launched Kudi Arasu, a tamil weekly advocating social reform.
Periyar organised the first Self-Respect Conference in Chengalpet (Tamil Nadu) on February 17, 1929

Main objectives:

Breakdown of the Brahminical hegemony
- E.g.: Self-Respect Marriages: Introduced and popularized marriages that did not require Brahmin priests or traditional rituals.
Equal rights for the backward classes and women in the society
Revitalization of the Dravidian languages.
Abolition of caste names
Education, employment opportunities and equal property rights for women
Marital equality
Supported widow remarriage, divorce rights, property rights, and abortion.
Promoted contraception for women’s empowerment and body autonomy.
Encouraged inter-caste marriages as a counter to patriarchal control over partner choices.

The Dravidian movement:

The Dravidian Movement emerged in the early 20th century in Tamil Nadu, India, primarily as a response to the perceived dominance of Aryan culture and Brahminical hegemony.
The Dravidian movement in British India started with the formation of the Justice Party.
It sought to promote the rights and identity of the Dravidian people, who are mainly Tamil speakers and belong to the southern part of India.
Major leaders:
- Periyar: Founder of the Self-Respect Movement, DravidarKazhagam (DK)
- C.N. Annadurai: Founder of the Dravida MunnetraKazhagam (DMK)
- Karunanidhi: Successor to Annadurai, furthered the Dravidian agenda.
Political parties like the DMK and AIADMK emerged from the movement, focusing on regional identity and welfare policies.
September is observed as Dravidian Month to honour the significant historical events of the Dravidian Movement.

Justice Party:

The Justice Party, officially the South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras Presidency of British India.
Formed government in 1920 by Natesa Mudaliar along with T. M. Nair and P. Theagaraya Chetty championed non-Brahmin politics.
Nominated the first woman Legislative Council member, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy.
Issued the Communal Government Order for job reservations.