A hunger strike led by Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath was held in Palakkanatham, Madurai, on Saturday, 4 January 2025, in which protesters demanded a law protecting the rights of Brahmins. Senior BJP leader H Raja participated and launched a scathing attack on the Dravidian movement, its leaders, and their policies.
Addressing the gathering, senior BJP leader H Raja launched a scathing attack on the Dravidian movement, accusing it of fostering division and conflict in Tamil society. “The Dravidian movement is a foreign puppet. It created division in the country and caused caste conflict. Today, Udhayanidhi Stalin says, ‘I am proud to be a Christian.’ He says this to ensure that the votes of the Christian community do not go to Vijay. If you want to file a case for speaking this truth, then file a case,” Raja said.
Raja alleged that anti-national elements were targeting those who upheld nationalistic ideologies. He stated, “I am not speaking my own words today. I am quoting what Nehru and Periyar said. The governance today is carried out by those who follow Periyar, who once called for the genocide of Brahmins.”
Criticizing the social impact of the Dravidian movement, Raja said incidents of drug addiction and sexual assault were on the rise. “The Dravidian movement is not only anti-national but also anti-Tamil. To understand Periyar, we must look at his statements. He questioned how a Kannada could become the leader of Tamils and declared that Tamils have no knowledge or leadership qualities. According to them, only a Kannada can be a leader,” he alleged.
Raja accused Periyar and his followers of seeking to destroy Brahmins to prevent the emergence of scholars like UV Saminatha Iyer, who republished Tamil Sangam literature. He said, “Did Periyar ever republish Sangam literature? Why do they hate Brahmins? So that Tamil scholarship and cultural preservation are destroyed.”
Referring to the opposition to Hindi by Periyar, Raja claimed it was not out of love for Tamil but to promote English. “There is no greater traitor to the Tamil people than Periyar. Such Tamil haters criticize Brahmins and Tamil culture,” he said.
Raja also addressed controversies surrounding the names of leaders and cultural practices. He alleged that Periyar signed his letters as ‘Ramaswamy Nayakkar’ and criticized the Dravidian movement for considering it shameful to use one’s given name. Raja also recalled an incident involving the late AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, saying, “When my sister Jayalalithaa called him Karunanidhi, he was offended and she asked how else he should be addressed.”
The BJP leader went on to criticize the Dravidian movement, accusing it of dulling the intellect of the Tamil community. “Do you know how much damage this Dravidian stock has done? The intelligent Tamil community has become dull because of them,” he said.
Raja concluded his speech with a call for action, saying, “We should soon call all communities and hold a meeting against drugs and violence against women.”
The hunger strike highlighted a growing demand for a Brahmin protection law and brought into focus the ideological clashes between proponents of the Dravidian ideology and its critics. Raja concluded his speech with a call for collective action against societal challenges, further intensifying the discourse on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.
(With inputs from Junior Vikatan)