D.M.K. and Social Justice

By K.S. Radhakrishnan

I am extremely happy that on that occasion of the Birth Centenary celebrations of Perarignar Anna at Kanchipuram, this fine and useful booklet entitled, "D.M.K. - Social Justice", written by Thiru K.S.Radhakrishnan, my dear brother and advocate, is being released. The entire country has accepted that the concept of Social Justice originated from Tamil Nadu. "Social Justice" is an elixir propounded by the Dravidian Movement for the advancement of the downtrodden and oppressed population of Tamil Nadu belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes. Eminent leaders like Pitty Theagarayar, Dr.T.M.Nair, Dr.Natesanar, Thiru.Muthiah Mudaliar, Thanthai Periyar and Perarignar Anna had to wage a relentless war to achieve the objectives of Social Justice and finally they won the battle. This war is presently being continued by the D.M.K. Thiru K.S.Radhakrishnan has lucidly compiled and collated the efforts so far taken to achieve Social Justice. I, whole-heartedly, congratulate him. I commend this book to the younger generation, as it delineates the evolution of Social Justice. I am sure that this book will awaken the mind of the youth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: Jul 17, 2021
• ISBN: 6580542906759

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D.M.K. and Social Justice

Author:

K.S. Radhakrishnan

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M. KARUNANIDHI

President, D.M.K.,

Date: 2.9.2009

FOREWORD

I am extremely happy that on that occasion of the Birth Centenary celebrations of Perarignar Anna at Kanchipuram, this fine and useful booklet entitled, D.M.K. - Social Justice, written by Thiru K.S.Radhakrishnan, my dear brother and advocate, is being released.

The entire country has accepted that the concept of Social Justice originated from Tamil Nadu. Social Justice is an elixir propounded by the Dravidian Movement for the advancement of the downtrodden and oppressed population of Tamil Nadu belonging to Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes. Eminent leaders like Pitty Theagarayar, Dr.T.M.Nair, Dr.Natesanar, Thiru.Muthiah Mudaliar, Thanthai Periyar and Perarignar Anna had to wage a relentless war to achieve the objectives of Social Justice and finally they won the battle. This war is presently being continued by the D.M.K. Thiru K.S.Radhakrishnan has lucidly compiled and collated the efforts so far taken to achieve Social Justice. I, whole-heartedly, congratulate him. I commend this book to the younger generation, as it delineates the evolution of Social Justice. I am sure that this book will awaken the mind of the youth.

(M. KARUNANIDHI)

D.M.K. AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

In the history of the Dravidian Movement the struggle for social justice is of paramount importance. The consciousness and the conscientiousness of social rights were, in fact, initiated by the English, which, later on, was fostered by the Dravidian Movement stalwarts beginning with Dr. Nayar down to Chief Minister Dr. Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi. He occupies a unique place in the history of social justice. Pitty Theagaraya, Dr.T.M. Nayar, Dr. C. Natesan, Muthaiah Mudaliar, Periyar, Anna, and now Kalaignar have achieved to a vast extent social justice and other Tamil Nationality issues.

The Preamble of the Constitution of India aims to secure to all our people Justice - Social, economic and political. Justifiably it assigns primacy to social justice. The strong foundation of a just social order is essential to build a sound economy and a healthy polity.

The Directive Principles of State Policy under Article 46 lays down that the State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all other forms of exploitation.

VARNA DHARMA AND CASTE

Social injustice has found a permanent place for more than 2000 years in India mainly because of the birth-based socio - religious inequalities and discrimination practiced on the basis of Varna Dharma and caste. It is an ascending order of privileges and descending order of disabilities, disadvantages and distresses. The system even now has the sanction of Hindu religious scriptures and law.

Dichotomy

The vast majority of the Hindus are Sudras and Panchamas. From ancient days they were not allowed to get educated. Being illiterate they were ignorant and superstitious. They had to sustain themselves by doing manual work. Brahmins who formed a very small minority occupied the top-most rung in the ladder of the Hindu social order organized according to the Varna-Jaathi scheme. They were the priests and had the monopoly of learning. It was their swadharma - the divinely ordained duty of the caste in which they were born. So traditionally they become an exclusively literate caste, a privilege denied to others by religion. So the Brahmins have all along evolved as an intellectual class, becoming prominent administrators and Chief advisors to the rulers. In this manner, for several centuries, more than 90% of the people of the Indian sub continent inherited, due to their very birth in the lowest Varna or outside the sphere of Varnas, illiteracy, ignorance, physical work menial jobs and servitude, whereas the remaining miniscule minority got by inheritance over the same period, by their birth in the highest Varna, the privilege of acquiring knowledge and skill, dominance and authority in the higher echelons of human activity. They reserved all sorts of mental work as their own domain and looked down upon those whom they condemned to do the manual labour in the name of scriptures like Manu Smirithi. This created a kind of an unhealthy and pernicious dichotomy between those who lived by bodily exertions and the intellectual elite who enjoyed the benefits of culture and leisure.

A New Beginning

Those belonging to the lower and lowest castes had the opportunity of learning through formal education only after the advent of the British rule in late 18th Century and early 19th century. The Britishers also removed the restrictions in the employment opportunities. The Charter Act of 1833 said: No native of India should be disabled from holding any place or office of employment by reason of his religion, place of birth or colour.

Monopolistic Trend

As pointed out by the Tamil Nadu Second Backward Classes Commission, 1985, the British Government found the virtual monopoly of a single caste in Public Service. In 1853, the Revenue establishment in Nellore District was controlled by 43 Brahmins,