Keerthi Nathan The past week, BJP unit of Tamil Nadu was suddenly brimming with a lot of activity after being dormant for a few months. Mr. L. Murugan had been appointed the President of the BJP State unit of TN much to everyone’s surprise. Mr. L. Murugan is also the Vice Chairman of the National …
My Life and Caste: Journey of Becoming Ambedkarite
Ramkumar Govindan I am Ramkumar, pursuing PhD at Tata Institute of Social Sciences. One day after a discussion on Rohith Vemula’s institutional murder, one of my friends asked me, what kind of discrimination have you experienced? Without even thinking a minute I replied to her: no, I don’t think I have faced any direct discrimination. …
Pa Ranjith, Dalits and Land Rights
Pardeep Attri In the last few days, social media was buzzing with the war of two different ideologies over the “controversial” comments made by director Pa Ranjith, famous for movies such as Madras, Kabali and Kaala, on Chola empire and exploitation of Dalits. Pa Ranjith’s remark that rule of Chola emperor Raja Raja I …
ഒരു അതികായൻ
Radhika Sudhakar (Translated by Lincy K Thankappan.) തമിഴ് രാഷ്ട്രീയ മണ്ഡലത്തിലെ തെരെഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിൽ ആറ് ദശാബ്ദക്കാലവും അതിനും മുൻപ് ദ്രാവിഡ പ്രസ്ഥാനങ്ങളെ ശക്തിപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന രാഷ്ട്രീയ പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തിലും തുടങ്ങി പ്രസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾ ,രാഷ്ട്രീയ ഭരണം ,സാഹിത്യം ,സിനിമ അങ്ങനെ ചവിട്ടിയ മേഖലകളിലെല്ലാം കാലുനീട്ടി വെച്ച ഒരു യഥാർത്ഥ അതികായൻ ആയിരുന്നു മുതുവേൽ കരുണാനിധി. പൂർത്തിയാക്കിയ പ്രഖ്യാപിത നയങ്ങളേക്കാൾ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ ഇച്ഛയായിരുന്നു മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയായിരുന്ന അഞ്ചുതവണയും രാഷ്ട്രീയത്തിലെ മുക്കാൽ ഭാഗത്തിലേറെയും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഭരണ രീതിയെ അടയാളപ്പെടുത്തിയിരുന്നത്. 1957 മുതലങ്ങോട്ടുള്ള …
Commemoration of 140th Birth Anniversary of Periyar E V Ramasamy in California
Ambedkar King Study Circle Progressive organizations in San Francisco bay area had come together to commemorate the 140th birth anniversary of Periyar E.V Ramasamy in Cupertino, California, USA on Sep 22, Saturday. Around 80 people with families and kids attended the program to remember the legendary social reformer Periyar. Dr Vaa Geetha, who addressed …
A Colossus
Radhika Sudhakar Muthuvel Karunanidhi was a true colossus who strode the Tamil political sphere for six decades in electoral politics and before that in a political movement strengthening the Dravidian movement whichever field he trod, be it in the movement, political governance, literature or cinema. More than his declared policies, which he fulfilled, it …
A few words on the demise of Kalaignar by an Ambedkarite
Dr. Dhammasangini Ramagorakh Major states in India have one or two influential non-brahmin leaders and all of them are in their old age – like Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad, Sharad Yadav. (Mulayam Singh Yadav is also in my head, he has troubled Behenji so much. And because of Lalu and Nitish Kumar’s deeds Ram …
Homage to Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi
Progressive Thinkers Forum of the Blind The icon of social justice and the prominent leader of the oppressed, Dr. Kalaignar Karunanidhi (1924-2018) passed away on 07.08.2018, leaving his huge legacy behind. His demise has indeed left crores of Tamilians across the world, progressive thinkers and the people who believe in alternative politics in deep sorrow. …
Is caste normal in TN schools?
Bobby Kunhu In the street where my parent’s home is in the middle of Salem city, adjacent to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s permanent residence, most local residents don’t allow Dalit domestic workers inside the house – the kitchen is, of course, a no-go area – and there are separate vessels to serve these …