Special Articles

EV Ramasamy Naicker’s Gems On Women Empowerment

January 9, 2025
The Commune

Dravidianists often talk about how their ideologue EV Ramasamy Naicker (EVR), hailed as Periyar among his followers, fought for women’s empowerment, among many other claims. But did he really do that? Let’s take a look at some of the ’empowering gems’ of this so-called ‘great man’ on women  – Brahmin or otherwise.

On How Women Must Dress Up

On 28 March 1971, during a wedding ceremony in Vadipatti, Madurai, EVR made a statement, “From now on our women should cut their hair short up to their shoulders. Should wear a shirt. Should wear Lungi. Our women are spending half of their time in make-up. Why do they wear make-up? Besides, the only reason is to make others (men) take a look at them, the makeup worn by our women arouses desires in others. They are dressing up provocatively such that their body parts are visible. How does this not arouse others?”

The text further reads, “No one realizes how much the country’s economy is crippled because of the jewelry worn by women for adornment. Dress should be in such a way that there is no difference between men and women.”

How Periyar Ensured His Wife Did Not Go To Temple

His wife, Nagammaiyar, was a devout woman who occasionally visited temples during festivals. However, EVR was determined to put an end to this practice, and he employed a rather unconventional—and controversial—method to achieve this. An account of this in a book under the chapter “Thoughts On Society”, it reads, “(2) Abolition of temple visitation: Nagammaiyar visits the temple every now and then during festivals. EV Rao’s plan is to stop this case. The prank he did for this was very funny. One day Nagammaiyar went to the temple with some women on the occasion of some festival. E.V.Ra. He went to the temple with some of his companions. He stood in a secluded place so that the minor Kolumbundu Ammaiyar could not see him well. Showing Nagammaiyar to his associates, ‘She is someone new. She has come to our town. We must conquer her; Make the effort you need to know her intentions.’ They also went to where Avvammaiyar was standing and started mocking him. Nagammaiyar saw the proceedings of this meeting. He had no idea what to do. Feet were hot. The body trembled. The heart was pounding with unbearable fear. She was drenched in sweat. However, she somehow managed to escape from the men and returned home. After knowing the situation of the temples, the next day she realized that the event held in the temple was a trick of her husband.”

His extreme and manipulative approach succeeded in instilling fear in her, effectively putting an end to her temple visits.

Encouraged Groping Of Women

In another instance, during a widely celebrated speech revered by followers of Periyarists and D-Stocks, EVR crudely asserted that women visit temples to be groped, “Husbands usually don’t go to the temple, but at least to have fun they go. The women who are tied (Married) can go only during festival season. Only by going there, she can rub with four men; If she stays at home ‘Her husband will threaten asking ‘what work; If she goes there… ‘Come’ will say the husband; She will say ‘Can’t come they are crushing’; He will say ‘Come, come through them’, She gets all that pleasure only when she is taken to the temple; He is habituated to this because everyone else’s wife is also subject to the same, hence no one will ridicule it. Only because of this, she is holding her life. If we make different arrangements for this, women would not go to temples.”

Had Romantic Escapades With Prostitutes

A documentary inspired by Samy Chidambaranar’s 1939 book “Tamizhar Thalaivar” delves into several controversial claims, including allegations about E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar). The book narrates accounts of his nocturnal activities with women by riverbanks while having his wife prepare meals for such outings. Titled, “Family Mischief” (Kudumba Kurumbugal), Samy Chidambaranar narrates, “Ramasamy was a great “Minor” (flirt) before he ventured into public life. His friends will joke about his ‘minor’ exploits quite quirkily. Sometimes he (EVR) would also talk about it. In those days, EVR was mostly in the houses of prostitutes – entering and departing. There were many partners for this. Ramasamy and his associates would go to the banks of River Cauvery with a group of prostitutes during the lunar nights. They would spend the whole night in the river ‘having fun’ and return home only early in the morning. The food for these meetings should come from EVR’s house only. Parents should not know about food delivery. For this, EVR will seek the help of Nagammai. She will, too, unbeknownst to the family, would cook the food that her husband wanted, and the food would be sent through the backdoor and taken to the Cauvery by a cart.”

When EVR Visited Prostitutes In Cauvery River Bed With Food Prepared By His Wife, Tamilar Thalaivar Periyar book

Tamil Brahmins “Prostituted” Their Women To Other Castes

On Page 168 of the book “Collected Works of EVR Periyar“, it talks about how he said Tamil Brahmins “prostituted” their women to other castes.

“I asked him to tell me where he stands in the society. I asked him to tell me the rank he holds under the caste hierarchy. He told me his status in life is that of a minister. He replied that he is a Reddiar by caste. Stating the caste as Reddy, Gounder, Naidu, and Naicker are all names we have created. But according to shastras, religion, and tradition, we are all “Shudras” the fourth caste. This continues to exist for a long time. We have started the movement to crusade against this long-lasting disgraceful status. After that, I asked him what was meant by “Shudra”. I myself explained to him that “shudra” means the son of a prostitute.

Then I continued to speak to him. I said, “You have high degree of education. You have passed B.A., B.L., You were a minister for three years. Again you are a now a minister. You are still a “Shudra” the son of a prostitute. You are not ashamed of your low social status. A fellow who begs at you, a fellow who is willing to prostitute his womenfolk for you, calls himself as a high born. You accept him as superior in caste. You prostrate at his feet”. I finally put the question, ” Now you tell me whether you want the Self-Respect Movement or not?” He simply replied that all these have existed for a very long period.”

Hindu Women Go To Crowded Temples To Rub Their Bodies Against Strange Men

In what is said to be one of his speeches and later published in the Dravidianist mouthpiece Viduthalai in 1973, EVR says, “Young women who are tied up at home can be seen outside only during temple festivals. Only if they go there will they be able to rub their bodies against young men. If they are at home, the husband threatens her with work. If she goes there, he will ask her to come. “I am not able to come, he is crushing me, he is crushing me“, she would say, “Come without a word“, he would say.

He receives that pleasure only when he takes his wife to the temple. That became a habit since this is the state of all wives, no one makes fun of it. Because of such things, life goes on. If we make other arrangements as appropriate, the women will return.”

Image Source : Reddit

On Kerala Royal Women

An undated speech where within just five minutes into it, EVR dives into deeply contentious territory, making shocking claims such as “Shudra women are prostitutes for Tamil Brahmin men.“ The statement met with cheers from the Dravidian crowd, highlights the provocative and divisive nature of his rhetoric. EVR’s approach often leans heavily on sexualized narratives to drive his points home. He says, “You may think that what I am saying is funny (that Shudra women are tamil-brahmin men keeps)

Would our womenfolk really have been like this (as mistresses of Tamil Brahmins)? I also hope that was not the case, okay fine let us assume that was not the case. But look at Malayalam (Kerala) right across the border. There, wives of Kings, wives, .. queens, and princesses… They even today give money and go to Tamil Brahmin men.. (for sexual purposes). For this purpose alone they have given salaries and kept Tamil Brahmin employees. Two queens in Kerala – one elder queen and one younger.

When I was there in Malayalam (Kerala) for one, the going rate was Rs 100 Rs and for the other, it was Rs 80 – to be the “husband” of these queens.

If you are not born of these Paapaans (Tamil Brahmins) — then you will not get a share of the ruling class. You can’t be king. I am saying what is happening even today. Over there — all the Zameendar’s wives are also Paapaan mistresses. Slightly inferior —- (caste men  – audio not clear here) these women will go to, that too they won’t go after getting married.

Come-means Come,  Go-means Go — (basically easy sex – no strings..)

It is happening … in the house of Zameendars, Mirasudars, big and reputable Nair families. Even today, it is happening. Kerala is not far from us – after all, they are separated from here.

Alleged Brahmins Planned A Legislation To Make Non-Brahmin Women Their Mistresses

In a 1926 public meeting in Madras, EVR warned the crowd that, after Independence, Tamil Brahmins would push for legislation requiring non-Brahmin women to become mistresses or concubines of Tamil Brahmin men. This idea about the exploitation of women, specifically Malayalee women, can be traced to KV Reddi (also known as Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkatareddy Naidu), a leader of the Justice Party and the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency. Reddi, during a discussion on the inheritance act, reportedly informed the Madras Assembly that in Kerala, a law existed stating that non-Brahmin girls, upon reaching puberty, must be deflowered by a Brahmin. He said, “During a discussion of inheritance act .. in Kerala there exists a law that non-brahmin girls upon puberty have to deflowered by a Brahmin.”

Reddi’s speech included a dramatic and highly controversial tale:

“In Kerala, if a Brahmin hears about the beauty of a Nair’s wife, he will summon the husband and say, ‘Madhavan, I hear your wife is very beautiful, is it true?‘ To which the husband replies, ‘Yes, sir, all your grace.‘ The Brahmin then says, ‘Send her to me for one week.‘”

Reddi, a leader of the Justice Party and a key figure in the Dravidian movement, appears to have shared deeply problematic views. His approach in the legislative debate was provocative, asking:

“Mr. C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, there is an atrocity in Malayalam land where a girl, upon reaching puberty, must be deflowered by a Brahmin. Are you afraid of losing that privilege?”

“Had British Continued, Brahmin Women Would Have Been Ours”

Published in Dravidianist mouthpiece, Viduthalai in 1956, EVR allegedly said, “Had the British continued for another ten years, more than half of the Brahmin women would have been ours and Tamils would have been their husbands and the dominating caste would have been destroyed [by] more than half. Only after Brahmin women had started chasing our boys did the Brahmin men become very angry with the British.”

The Wire reports that in an editorial published in Viduthalai on 4 March 1969, he controversially described Brahmin priests as exploiting their wives in specific religious locations, likening their actions to that of pimps.

In his book Vanavasam, the Tamil poet Kannadasan recounts a typical speech by Periyar, in which Periyar derogatorily refers to Brahmin women as ‘prostitutes‘ and accuses Brahmin men of exploiting their women to secure their influence in the Dravidian region.

A Hypocrite In Its Truest Sense

EVR stands exposed as a hypocrite whose rhetoric and actions reveal a deeply misogynistic and divisive worldview. Far from being a liberator of women, EVR’s statements and ideologies perpetuated harmful stereotypes, reduced women to objects of male desire, and reinforced regressive attitudes under the guise of reform.

His views on women were not only demeaning but also blatantly contradictory to the principles of equality and dignity he supposedly championed. His crude sexualized narratives about Brahmin and non-Brahmin women reveal a man obsessed with caste-based vendettas rather than genuine social reform.

His rhetoric often targeted Brahmin women, reducing them to derogatory labels and accusing Brahmin men of exploiting them, all while ignoring the systemic issues faced by women across all castes.

While his brainwashed followers celebrate him as a progressive icon, the reality is that his ideologies were steeped in misogyny, casteism, and sensationalism.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.