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How Dravidianists Peddle Nazi-Style Propaganda Against Tamil Brahmins

June 1, 2023
Hridya
Special thanks to Reality Check India

While researching this vast topic, I came across this short video where Aravind Neelakantan says

“Remember the Dravidian movement ideologically is a clone of the Nazi movement. The Nazis have their Jews, the Dravidianists have their Brahmins. The Nazis guide their Master Aryan theory the Dravidianists have their Master Dravidian theory. The Nazis saw Jews as the reason for all the problems in Germany, the Dravidianists see Brahmins as the cause of all the problems in Tamil Nadu. In fact, their ideologue, CN Annadurai, said this after the Nazi horror was exposed, sometime in the 1950s. CN Annadurai said, if we could follow the strategy of Adolf Hitler and eliminate Brahmins and if that would solve our problems, we could do that. But the real social reality is stopping us because the Aryan concepts are already there in all communities.”

Let us have a look at how Brahmins are depicted across Dravidian literature and “pop culture”. A Twitter handle @realitycheckind has been tracking this peddling of hate through Nazi-style propaganda for quite some time and we have been able to collate most of such depictions from their handle.

Basically, the caricatures of Tamil Brahmins are based on 3 points:

  • They are fat, unshapely, and ugly
  • They are scary
  • They are “powerful” yet harmless but evil in nature

So, pushing the point that if there is a Brahmin around you, look at them with fear in your eyes because they are going to devour you. If we compare this with the Nazi propaganda, Jews were also described as ugly, evil, money-minded, powerful, and scary, not to forget their flowing beards – they stereotyped Brahmins as those with Shikha (tuft). This ultimately goes on to underscore what TN BJP President, K Annamalai had said in the ANI Podcast with Smitha Prakash – that Tamil Brahmins are comparable to Jews.

Nazi-Style Propaganda

The Dravidianists have made use of what is known as the Picture Superiority Effect – a phenomenon in which imagery/pictures are remembered more than text or words.

Most of the Dravidian literature about Brahmins has a few things in common, especially on their cover images.

  • The brahmin has a near-tonsured head with a tuft of hair at the back.
  • He is fat, has a paunch, wears the dhoti, and of course, the janeu/sacred thread.
  • In some cases, depending on the title and the type of content, the Brahmin is shown just next to Satan in terms of being evil.

Some other methodologies used include zoomorphism – depicting brahmins as animals. In this case, the brahmin is depicted as the 8-legged octopus. The inspiration seems to have come from (no prizes for guessing) the Nazi propaganda – as seen in the adjoining image.

In a more recent instance, a Dravidian outfit named Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam shared this poster with the words:

“Do not take away the priestly right of all Hindus!

Don’t claim that the temple and God belong to the Brahmins!

Tamil Nadu government must intervene immediately!”

In this the Brahmin is seen climbing and standing atop a temple, with the key at his hip, indicating that Brahmins control temple wealth, yet another stereotype shown here is the Brahmin is holding Darbai grass in his hand. The Brahmin is shown to be fat and ugly, with a hateful expression on the face – Typical Nazi stereotyping model.

In this cartoon image shared by the handle which is said to be of someone named Kabilan,

the same stereotypes and depicting of physical features come through – the brahmin is shown as “blobs with zero musculature”. As per Reality Check India, this ‘picture superiority effect’ drills the fact into the heads of Tamilians that Brahmins are parasites that do not work, they just eat, and pile on the kilos.

And this is not seen in just one cartoon, but plenty of them and for a very long time thereby conditioning unaware Tamilians that Brahmins are indeed ugly and fat and keep consuming others’ resources.

Here are another set of tweets, do you notice how  the Brahmin’s tuft is shown to be like a chameleon? (Zoomorphism)

The Dravidian-Tamil propaganda toons are extraordinarily detailed, observes Reality Check India. Most TamBrahms have no choice but to be repelled and aghast.

In this set of images shared by Suren, you can notice that in the left image, the brahmin’s tuft is morphed into a snake that will “kill” the poor non-brahmin.

Again, you can notice the big fat stomach, ugly Brahmin who supposedly holds control over the Vedas, Manu Smriti, etc. On the right is a Nazi-era anti semitic propaganda poster which also shows the Jews as money-minded, and controlling (see the whip in hand).

Coming to the next creative, in this tweet we can see the clear similarities between how Nazis and Dravidianists would like to treat Jews and Brahmins.

On the left, Jews are punched whereas on the right Brahmins are kicked, the sentiments are the same.

Moving on to books i,e Propaganda Literature,

This book “Aariya maayai” (Aryan mAyA/Aryan illusions) was written by the very 1st Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai. The cover image shows a Brahmin with an evil smile, reiterating the stereotyping and staying true to the Nazi propaganda by depicting TamBrahms as evil.

In this thread by GhorAngirasa, also covered by OpIndia, book covers of many Dravidian literature have been covered and they all have one thing in common – vilify Tamil Brahmins.

The book titles in the thread read as follows:

  • The Brahmins who snatched money
  • Bitter truths/religious Scandals of Brahmins – depicting Vamana on the cover as the Brahmin
  • Aryan Rule – where a Brahmin is depicted with a big tummy, the conspicuous sacred thread (janeu), holding the trident (trishul)which is a Hindu symbol, and the head of the Brahmin is shown as a snake.
  • Brahmin’s Theism that destroyed Tamil Nadu – the cover image shows a Brahmin with a big fat tummy, and his tuft of hair (Shikha/kudumi) wrapped around the TN state like a snake
  • Are Brahmins Tamils? – Cover image shows a few Vaishnavite men and a woman wearing traditional clothes
  • Why did Brahmins oppose the British – this depicts Brahmins in the same oft-repeated fashion – pot belly, long Shikha, skinny hands, and another one with a turban and pot belly.
  • Brahmin Nuisance – Depicts a weird-looking Brahmin – pointy Shikha, scary face, pot belly, skinny hands as if he is in control of the High Court
  • A resounding answer/retaliation to the Brahmin fraud – a blobby-looking Brahmin with the usual marks is shown running away – ugly facial features, lack of musculature
  • Brahmins didn’t change, will not change, shudras and ashudras have changed – the brahmin in this cover pic is shown to have a huge belly, a serpentine janeu strangling the non-brahmin, holding the trishul and has a Satan-type face.
  • Brahmins’ plots and the downfall of Kings – The cover image shows a Brahmin with an evil smile and shows a king-like figure in his palm indicating that Brahmins controlled the kings and kingdoms
  • Why I am not a Hindu by Kancha Iliah (Tamil version) shows a pot-bellied Brahmin with an evil smile, an ugly face, and the sacred thread (janeu)shown to strangle the non-brahmin.
  • A cartoon from an online essay titled Shankara Matham – Den for terrorism – the cover pic insults the then Math head, Shri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal depicting him with weapons.
  • Brahmin gang entering the battlefield as a group. We will reclaim Thillai, we will dismantle Brahmin hegemony – the image shows prominent personalities from VHP – Ashok Singhal, Hindu Munnani head, Rama Gopalan, and other political personalities such as Cho, Jayalalithaa, Subramaniam Swamy, and the brahmin is shown as Lucifer and wears a janeu, has a key indicating temple control.
  • Purohitas’ reign – Shows a Brahmin (3%) standing on a non-brahmin (97%) and using the whip on him and indicates that even when Brahmins are at 3%, they can subjugate the rest of the population.

Some book titles without demeaning images include:

  • If Englishmen are strangers, who or what are brahmins (parpans)?
  • Was Raja Raja Chozhan a slave of the Brahmins?
  • Brahmins who raised a commotion against social revolution
  • Aryan-Brahmin plot to usurp temple administration

Going over a few other tweets on this propaganda which relies on imagery to drive the so-called “evilness” of Brahmins into other Tamilians’ heads, we see this:

A Brahmin priest’s (purohit) tuft of hair/Shikha, the tuft morphs into the words NEET and ends with a stethoscope indicating that Brahmins are the ones for whom NEET was made and ensures they get their degrees.

You can see creative re-use of Brahmin stereotypical caricatures by Tamilian (Dravidian) high-frequency propaganda accounts.

 

Compare these Dravidian propaganda toons with this image above. Look at how well-produced DMK(Dravidian) hate propaganda is. This cartoon is hastily done, feels amateurish, and leaves very little impact on the brain, it is available freely (has no form of funding).

When we say this kind of peddling of hate is institutionalised and well-funded, we mean it. Here is a verified DMK IT Wing official handle shares a cartoon similar to Amar Chitra Katha

Vicious propaganda demonising the Tamizh Brahmins.

The next one shows VCK chief Thirumavalavan pulling the Shikha of a Brahmin – that he is superior to the Brahmin.

Some more hate propaganda material you ask, here you go!

Brahmins are shown as discriminatory and they rise to the top by stamping and climbing on non-brahmins.

In this tweet, we see Nattu aka Natarajan the cricketer is seen to be “dismantling Brahminism” in the cricket world.

The stumps are marked “The parochial Sanatana Dharma social structure” and an ugly obese Brahmin in the image who has been “dismantled”.

Here’s how they show that Brahmins are cunning and the Dravidians propagate the fact that EWS quota was created so Brahmins will have a chance at beating reservation.

Want something more on the Supreme Court being occupied by Brahmins, here you go!

In this image, they use the Brahmin’s head to morph the Supreme Court claiming

that it is the Brahmins who are occupying the highest posts and are influencing judgements. If only that were to happen!

This image claims that the Supreme Court judges are all Brahmins. Says there are 26 judges in India’s top court of which 23 are Brahmins and 2 OBCs and only 1 from the SC/ST category. Here again, there is a use of Zoomorphism – the brahmin is morphed into a horse with an ugly face.

Some more Supreme Court based propaganda material for you:

This image depicts the Supreme Court in the form of the Shikha of a Brahmin with Vaishnavite symbols. The text written reads, it is not the Supreme Court, it is Tuft/Shikha (Uchikudumi Mandram) court indicating Brahmins are controlling the courts and interfering with justice.

Check out this collection of tweets indicating how the Supreme Court is run by Brahmins.

The same typical imagery all across the pictures.

Zoomorphism, you ask, here you go!

Dravidian-Tamil organisation says in this anti-brahmin caricature poster which again uses zoomorphism, “Brahmins Octopus encroached govt depts we condemn. Nov 7 Siege of Shastri Bhavan octopus tentacles features SBI, Indian Army, UPSC, SC.”

Some more…

Depicts Brahmins as worms (Zoomorphism)– showcasing Brahmins as animals/insects is one popular way of propagating hate and a favourite of the Nazi propagandists. The image on the left titled, “What can be done of this germ”, depicts Sadagopan Jeeyar as a worm/centipede and he says, “Chant Om Namo Narayana 108 times, Corona will disappear” On the right, you can see the Nazi propaganda against Jews depicting them as worms in a similar fashion.

EVR in Dravidian hate propaganda

One such imagery shows EVR holding Brahmin by the ear – a Dravidian wet dream.

Next up, Pondicherry State President of Dravidar Kazhagam (ideological parent of DMK) explaining Dravidianism in actual form. In this tweet, we see a brahmin (on the left) shown to be a “pest” while EVR is shown as the “pesticide”. That is how deep-seated the hatred is among Dravidianists.

And some more…

This one shows a Brahmin whose legs are tied to a walking stick indicative of EVR and the Shikha/tuft is also in the control of EVR signalling that Brahmins can no longer do what they wish and Dravidian ideology has curbed their freedom, the image wants to communicate the point “EVR’s walking stick keeps the Brahmin under control”.

How can we forget Manu Smriti!

A repeat of the tuft strangling the non-brahmins is used here. The cartoon mentions A Raja’s speech where he says Manu Smriti says Shudras are children of prostitutes. The Brahmin here is shown to repeat that to the non-brahmin and is tightening his grip on him with the tuft. This is very similar to the saturation canards of blood libel – a canard that Jews used the blood of Christian children for Passover rituals, a canard that could not be shaken off for centuries similar to Tamil Brahmins poured lead into ears of Dravidians’ ears if they asked for ‘education’.

In this tweet, we can see 2 similar images, the Dravidians just borrowed the content and replaced the Capitalist oppressor with a Tamil Brahmin; this cartoon is used in the context of EWS pretty recently.

Inspiration from Fips

Jews were shown to be obese, money-minded, stomping on others, and dangerous by Fips (Ruprecht cartoonist for Der Sturmer), they were never shown with musculature, the same propaganda style is used for Tamil Brahmins too – very chubby, harmless yet capable of violence.

 

In this tweet, the vivid characterisation, and clear images like in Amar Chitra Katha comics is to ensure it gets ingrained in the readers’ brains about the vile character of Brahmins. The language used is the typical Brahmin slang that is spoken in TN by Tamil Brahmins. And the characters are saying “Our kids were beaten by the SC(Panchama) kids”, and the other says, “Yes, that’s how it was posted in our newspaper”.

The handle says that propaganda caricatures have to be **vivid** sensational and shocking, they need to arouse inner disgust and physically do something – this is something 21st century Dravidians (Tamils) have become adept at after Fips (cartoonist of Der Sturmer).

The image on the left is by Philipp Ruprecht (Fips) , prolific cartoonist of Der Sturmer and the one on the right is by a Dravidian. The pattern is similar – a fat man escorting a nubile woman, in the second image. Such is the imagery that has been created not now, but for a very long time and it makes it easy for Dravidian loyalists to badmouth and abuse Tamil Brahmins.

This artwork is a straight lift from Nazi anti-semitic propaganda.

 

Next we will see how they like to sexualize our Gods and Goddesses in such ways in an attempt to pull Brahmins down.

Moving on, check out how Dravidian pop culture depicts Brahmins and Baniyas from UP in their content. Here we see a Brahmin/Baniya taking the lion’s share of govt job opportunities (the pipe) while the oppressed get only what trickles down.

And in this bottom tweet, compare the scary Brahmin and the scary Jew from 1940s The Eternal Jew.

Here comes Ambedkar!

Cartoon published in Shankar’s Weekly in December 1949. Dr. Ambedkar holds the hand of a little girl named Hindu code bill and leads her towards the Parliament and a Brahmin holding an axe in hand hiding behind a wall, while women from the terrace try to save the girl. You can notice that the Brahmin is once again unshapely, ugly, half-clothed, and violent or evil.

In this tweet, Reality Check India talks about the caricature artist, Shankar Pillai. In this image, the Brahmin is shown to be patriarchal, and you see the same stereotypes – blob (no muscles, fat, ugly). This cartoon also indicates how Sanatana Dharma, controlled by Brahmins, is dictating the terms for women especially.

Shankar Pillai is said to be among the “pioneers” of grotesque caricatures of Brahmins via cartoons.

Sengol, Aadeenams and Brahmins (How could anyone make a connection?)

In the wake of the Sengol installation in the new Parliament (and subsequent controversy with regard to Modi’s sashtanga namaskar to the Sengol and the Aadeenams, a tweet was shared by the followers of Dravidian ideology (which was removed after massive reporting)

This image seems to have crossed all levels of decency in depicting Brahmins/Hindus.

Tamil society exhibits unique hate targeting “Tamizh Brahmins,” akin to anti-Semitism. Non-Brahmins distance themselves from this hate, while the state fails to protect against hate speech. The power of Dravidian ideology lies in unchecked hate propagated by a few venomous accounts and the crowd, amplified and encouraged by the state apparatus.

What more proof does one need to show that Tamil Brahmins were and are being subjected to the same type of treatment by the Dravidianists that Nazis accorded to the Jews? Does it require putting them in the gas chamber to prove that a genocide occurred? A sustained propaganda aided and funded to the hilt by the state machinery (political parties in TN) and propagated by their ilk has caused a continuous exodus of Tamil Brahmins from TN to other states and other countries for decades. This peddling of vicious propaganda against the Tamil Brahmins of all ages and sizes, right from school up until one joins college and much worse, at the workplace too, has resulted in the community having to live in a society that incessantly hounds them for being part of a particular lineage.

(Hridya is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Chennai.)

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