“We, the followers of Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar, would fight forever to uphold social justice and establish an egalitarian society,” Udhayanidhi said.

Periyar has been a constant on the lips of Udhayanidhi Stalin or, for that matter, most Tamil Nadu politicians. No party can hope to succeed in Tamil politics unless it swears by Periyar.In April, Udhayanidhi said that even 50 years after Periyar’s death, his name and speeches still determine Tamil Nadu’s politics.

Who is Periyar and why is he a political imperative to Tamil politics?

PERIYAR QUIT CONGRESS OVER ‘BRAHMINISM’

Periyar EV Ramasamy is revered as the ‘Father of the Dravidian movement’.

Born on September 17, 1879, in Erode, a part of the then Madras Presidency, Periyar was a radical advocate against Brahminical dominance and caste and gender inequality. His birth anniversary is celebrated as ‘Social Justice Day’ in Tamil Nadu since 2021.

ALSO READ:-Having completed her Umrah, Rakhi Sawant has returned. She wants her fans to address her as Fatima.

He joined the Indian National Congress in 1919 but resigned in 1925, feeling that the party was primarily serving the interests of Brahmins.

In 1926, Periyar founded the Self-Respect Movement, aimed at creating a rational society devoid of caste, religion, and god. The movement’s objectives included the abolition of Brahminical authority, employment equity for women and underrepresented groups, and the revival of Dravidian languages such as Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil.

In contrast to the Indian identity supported by the Congress, Periyar recreated the Tamil identity as an egalitarian ideal that was initially untarnished by the caste system.

He said that Aryan Brahmins, who spoke Sanskrit and originated from Northern India, brought caste to the Tamil region. Periyar also led a strong rebellion against the imposition of Hindi as a compulsory subject, viewing it as an attempt to establish “North Indian imperialism”.

In 1939, Periyar became the head of the Justice Party, which he renamed as Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944. The party was later split by CN Annadurai, leading to the formation of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949.

Udhayanidhi is a third-generation leader of the DMK. His grandfather, M Karunanidhi, was a five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu. MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi’s father, is the current chief minister of the state and head of DMK.

The post Why Periyar’s influence in Tamil Nadu politics will never die appeared first on Republic Aeon.

The FSSAI instructed the Tamil Nadu Federation of Milk Producers to alter the labels on their curd packets from “curd” in English and “thayir” in Tamil to “dahi” in Hindi. The directive also applied to butter and cheese, among other dairy products. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and milk producers who said “no” to “dahi” opposed the FSSAI directive.

The milk producers of Tamil Nadu and neighboring Karnataka also wrote to the FSSAI, requesting permission to continue using their regional dialects, as the majority of consumers prefer them.In an order issued on March 30, the food safety authority authorized the use of the term curd alongside any other designation (regional common name) in parentheses on product labels.

“Accordingly, curd may also be labeled as follows: curd (dahi), curd (mosaru), curd (zaamut daud), or curd (thayir),” the FSSAI said in a statement.Stalin condemned the “imposition of Hindi” on curd labels on Wednesday and said those culpable would be “expelled” from the southern regions of the country.

Stalin posted a news article on his Twitter account about FSSAI ordering Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to conspicuously label curd as “dahi.” The Bengaluru-dated report stated that the FSSAI instructed the KMF to use the Kannada term “mosaru” for curd.

Also Read | Many feared trapped after Indore temple stepwell falls

Stalin, citing the report, had stated, “The unrepentant imposition of Hindi has gone so far as to require us to designate even a curd packet in Hindi, relegating Tamil and Kannada in our own states. Such blatant disregard for our native languages will result in the permanent expulsion of those culpable from the South.”

The post No ‘dahi’ on curd packets in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka appeared first on Republic Aeon.

Sharing a photo of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao tweeted that “12 migrants from Bihar were hanged to death in Tamil Nadu for speaking in Hindi.”

Mr Umrao stated that despite the assaults on migrants, the leader of Bihar attended Mr Stalin’s birthday celebrations.The tweet has since been withdrawn.

The Tamil Nadu Police have charged Prashant Umrao with sowing discord among the populace based on their region and language. It also filed charges against the editor of Dainik Bhaskar and the owner of Tanvir Post for inciting hostility and disturbances. According to the police, Dainik Bhaskar portrayed the murder of a Bihari by a Jharkhandi as an assault on north Indian labourers.

In the past week, a number of false messages on WhatsApp concerning attacks on Bihari migrant labourers in the southern state have been circulated, prompting the state governments of Tamil Nadu and Bihar to issue a warning against such messages.

The state’s chief minister, MK Stalin, has issued a statement assuring the security of migrant employees. “Foreign workers have nothing to dread. If you are threatened, contact the helpline. The government and people of Tamil Nadu will defend our migrant compatriots “he said.

Tamil Nadu’s District Collectors have issued appeals in Hindi urging migrant labourers not to be afraid.The police in both states are intently monitoring social media to investigate rumours of attacks on migrant workers.

Also Read | Russia will run out of money next year: Oligarch

The Bihar government has also dispatched officials to Tamil Nadu to confer with migrant workers and local officials, according to sources in the office of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The post BJP Leader Charged After Tweet About “Killing Of Bihar Migrant Workers” appeared first on Republic Aeon.