The birth anniversary of social reformer and Dravidar Kazhagam founder ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy would be observed as ‘Day of Social Justice’ in Tamil Nadu on September 17 every year, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday announced in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Employees in all State government offices, including those in the Secretariat would on that day undertake a pledge to follow the principles of self-respect, rationalism, brotherhood, equality, humanitarianism and social justice, Mr. Stalin said in a suo motu statement.
The Chief Minister recalled the eventful life of ‘Periyar’ and said that he spoke and wrote words which others hesitated to utter. Abolition of caste and equality of men and women were the reformer’s two primary principles, Mr. Stalin pointed out.
“The first amendment to the Indian Constitution came about because of this man, who never went to the Parliament,” Mr. Stalin said. Periyar questioned all that were against these two principles and posed questions based on science and went on to motivate people to question like him, Mr. Stalin underlined.
Leader of the House Duraimurugan, and legislators K. Selvaperunthagai (Sriperumbudur), M. Sinthanai Selvan (Kattumannarkovil), T. Ramachandran (Thalli), V.P. Nagaimaali (Kilvelur), A. Tamilarasi (Manamadurai), T. Velmurugan (Panruti), E.S. Eswaran (Tiruchengodu), M.H. Jawahirullah (Papanasam), T. Sadhan Thirumalai Kumar (Vasudevanallur) were among those in the DMK alliance, who spoke welcoming the announcement.
Representatives of all parties in the AIADMK alliance too welcomed Mr. Stalin’s announcement. PMK floor leader G.K. Mani (Pennagaram), BJP floor leader Nainar Nagenthan (Tirunelveli), AIADMK legislator R. Vaithilingam (Orathanadu) and MLA M. Jagan Moorthy (Kilvaithinankuppam) spoke in support of the announcement.
Mr. Duraimurugan urged that Periyar’s principles of self-repect should be included in the school curriculum. “What is wrong in including principles of social justice in textbooks. Only those who do not have self-repect would oppose it,” he said.
BJP welcomes CM’s announcement on Periyar
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed Mr. Stalin’s announcement. BJP floor leader Nainar Nagenthran (Tirunelveli), who spoke briefly about the announcement said his party welcomed Mr. Stalin’s announcement in the House.
“The concept of social justice is among the principles of the BJP. The BJP’s principles also include to uphold the rights of women and abolition of caste. The BJP, which believes in theism, welcomes this announcement,” said Mr. Nagenthran.
