Relevance of Periyar today

Relevance of Periyar today : Contradictions of caste, language and religion

Thanthai Periyar lived in a time when the country was witnessing a turmoil in its social and political landscape. He stood against the current questioning the idea of nation, social constructs of caste, religion and the dominant culture. He was not an armchair revolutionary, nor a seasonal activist but a speaker who spoke his mind wherever he was. The talk will revolve around the contemporary relevance of Periyar at a time the nation is divided drastically on the lines of caste, religion and other identities and rise in inequality.

Thirumurugan Gandhi is an human rights activist and a geopolitical commentator. He spoke in the UN for the past three years advocating the rights of people facing war crimes against imperial regimes. He is also the founder of May 17 Movement and raised his voice against the Indian government’s atrocities against Tamils.