Speech delivered at the caste abolition conference in Srirangam–Tiruvanaikovil on 2 November 1958. (Published in Viduthalai on 20 November 1958.)

A caste abolition conference, the “Free Tamil Nadu” conference, has been successfully conducted in this Srirangam town. These conferences have been better than all the other conferences. A large number of Dravidar Kazhagam comrades who have been to jail are attending this conference today. In terms of the number of comrades imprisoned, Thanjavur comes first, followed by Trichy. I appreciate the presence of comrades who have gathered here.

Generally speaking, our country is in a barbaric situation. Before others point out our problems, I will do that. People of all the countries in the world have woken up and become wise. All these countries are becoming independent. Their societies are evidently casteless. That means, 250 crore people in the world are leading casteless lives. People all over the world, except Indians, have woken up. It is we who are steeped in ignorance and live like slaves.

This is because we continue to be barbarians. Our people do not have an iota of intelligence and a sense of honour. That being the case, what is the use of blaming others? Whether it is the 30 crore people living in India or the three crore people living in Tamil Nadu, who else is fighting for them except us?

I was told about the Tear Drops. How deceptively they are behaving! Take the case of other parties as well. Who really works for the welfare of Dravidians? It seems someone asked my friend Annadurai what the difference is between his DMK [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] and the DK. He said: “The DK does not believe in democracy. We believe in democracy.” I will talk about the fraud called democracy later. Even they [the DMK leaders] do not bother about the degraded situation of the backward classes. They think it is enough to get government posts and titles. Is it all right for us to keep blaming others? We lack racial [ethnic] sentiment, a sense of honour and discipline. Don’t we have to have this?

That is why Ambedkar said caste will not disappear until religion and the idea of God are abolished.

Will anyone with even a speck of intelligence say this is a democratic government? One can go to the Assembly to make some small gains. One can go to Parliament and get a salary of Rs 500 and to the State Assembly for a salary of Rs 150. They can get some perks and get permits. What else can they do?

The competition for such things makes people all over the world believe in the fraud called democracy.

Leaders like Kamaraj and Nehru say, “You have accepted democracy; if possible, contest elections and come to the legislature.” If you have intelligence, you should resign, come out and join us. Is Nehru, the bravest of the brave, an honest man? Even Nehru is able to fight elections and come to power only after threatening big industrialists like Tata and Birla and taking lakhs and lakhs of rupees from them? Can Nehru become a minister without spending Rs 15–20 crores to ensure the victory of his Members of Parliament? Will Kamaraj here [in Tamil Nadu] be able to do it?

How will they gather the courage to question the factory owners and other capitalists who have donated them money? They will loot as much as possible, and the government will have to look the other way when they do it.

How can you call this democratic rule? Does it mean that only Brahmins, who constitute just three per cent of the population, can become the President, Vice President and the Home Minister of the country?

How can we get rid of Brahmins when you allow this to happen? How can we abolish caste? We can do it to some extent by throwing the law into the garbage bin. How else can we do it?

Is there anyone else who comes forward to struggle? They go to the Assembly only to loaf around and seize whatever they can get.

The Constitution does not allow our state to secede from India. Are our politics and religion not at the feet of the Brahmin? If this continues to be the case, how can we progress?

If we were not able to win against the Brahmin when we were rich men, rajas and zamindars, how can we do it when we are poor? What is the use of howling after handing over the country to the Brahmin?

Military coups are happening in different parts of the world. I don’t believe in military rule. Even those regimes loosen their grip on journalists and others out of fear… We should not be surprised if ministers are hacked to death. I may not be here if it happens. I don’t like it either. But there is no need for a leader for such violent acts. Nor does it need a campaign. These things happen spontaneously.

So, we should give up all our foolish acts and try to find the right path. You should definitely not go to temples. There is nothing there to correct our immorality.

Life today is very unstable. The Tear Drops, whose number is 15 in the State Assembly, say that it would become 50 in the next election. Congressmen will get more than 150 seats somehow. They will get a clear majority. Congressmen have a lot of money. What can we do to them? So, which honest and ethical man will go to the State Assembly or Parliament? Let’s assume that the Tear Drops will have 50 members. What can they achieve? Won’t the ruling party ask them whether they need one or two ministers? Won’t they be found smiling sheepishly in front of the rulers? What can the opposition parties achieve? If they are really concerned, they should throw away their membership of the legislature, come out and agitate.

In Trichy, the President Dr Radhakrishnan has unveiled the portrait of Ramaswami Ayyar, the founder of the Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, in its premises. Brahmins don’t have particular political affiliations. Just like four brothers playing different roles with different make-ups, Brahmins will act together even if they belong to different political parties.

Gandhiji was shot dead by a Marathi Brahmin. The government knows very well who all were involved in that conspiracy. The names of many popular figures came up in the investigation. The Intelligence Bureau officials silently concealed their names and the truth lay suppressed like a stone thrown into a well. They claimed that all the evidence relating to this case had been stolen in a train in which it was being transported. What an irresponsible act this is!

What principles does Rajagopalachari have? If he had any principles, would he be hobnobbing with the Tear Drops like this? Don’t they behave like lovers? Are they not acting like the characters in the Ramayana?

Rama lost his wife to Ravana. His brother Lakshmana blamed Ravana [for kidnapping Sita] after he ran into the forest thinking that his brother was in danger. Why couldn’t he have taken Sita along into the forest? Had he done that, the whole Ramayana story would not have happened. So, it was for the sake of the story that Lakshmana abandoned Sita. Similarly, Brahmins and their slaves will not hesitate to be friends with anyone for the sake of getting things done.

How long should we struggle like this after giving up all our wealth and comforts to Brahmins, who constitute just three per cent of the population, and north Indians? The Congressmen, Communists and the Tear Drops are not bothered about these things. They hobnob with Brahmins.

So, is it not clear that we can solve our problems only when we start ruling ourselves? For that to happen, we have to attain the goal of an independent Tamil Nadu. A huge struggle is going to happen to achieve that. More than 50,000 people should be prepared to go to jail along with their families. Even if we have to die, we should go ahead with the struggle. There is no other way out.

Excerpted with permission from Caste and the Crisis of Dignity: Periyar EV Ramasamy Speaks at Caste Association Meetings And Caste Abolition Conferences, edited by VMS Subagunarajan, translated from the Tamil by R Vijaya Sankar, Speaking Tiger Books.

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