Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s speech on Dravidian icon E V R Periyar and his categorical refusal to
Rajinikanth refused to
Several outfits, including Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) founded by Periyar, have refuted Rajinikanth’s claims and demanded his apology. However, the actor has just stood by his words, ruling out expressing regret for his remarks, putting him on a collision course with both the DMK and the AIADMK.
Periyar, the legendary social reformer with Kannada roots, is a much-revered figure in Tamil Nadu who inspired a slew of reforms that ensured social justice, the harbinger of the Dravidian reformist movement. DK’s offshoots, the DMK and the AIADMK that
No political party has mustered the courage in the recent past to take on Periyar except the BJP, which received more brickbats than bouquets. The BJP made it clear it
Some feel that the BJP, which has failed miserably in projecting itself as the alternative to the Dravidian majors, who swear by Periyar, has now outsourced the “job of overthrowing the Dravidian parties” to Rajinikanth by propping him up.
But senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh feels the actor might have taken on Periyar on his own and not necessarily at the behest of the BJP.
“Rajinikanth is taking the war into the enemy’s camp. He is doing it on his own and he is driving a dent in (Dravidian) politics, which will be beneficial to the BJP in the long run. Rajinikanth has only stated facts and he
But to target Periyar in a state obsessed with spirituality and ideals propagated in equal measure by the social reformer is a risky proportion, that too for a newcomer to politics like Rajinikanth.
Prof Ramu Manivannan, Head of Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras, feels BJP is using Rajinikanth.
“BJP has only one choice and that is to use Rajinikanth. But Rajinikanth cannot sustain the hard politics of Tamil Nadu. To me, Rajinikanth is not a political material. Anyways, I think both Rajinikanth and BJP are misreading Tamil Nadu’s conviction on social justice by taking on Periyar,” he told DH.
Only time can tell whether Rajinikanth will be successful or not in taking the “alternative to Dravidian politics” cudgel from the BJP which has so far been unsuccessful.
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