The Druid's Bitter Medicine

When Nehru wanted Periyar to be kept in a mental health facility for his vitriolic views on Brahmins

- P. A. Krishnan

PERIYAR'S (Ramasamy Naicker's) harsh views on Brahmins, especially the Brahmins of Tamil Nadu, are well known. But not many are aware that their stridency took a sharp ascent in the late 50s of the last century. Earlier, when the British were ruling India, Periyar was measured—by his standards, that is—in his comments on Brahmins, in that he didn't advocate any overt violence against them. In 1947, when the calamity of Partition was unfolding, he did suggest violence. For instance, in an article written in Viduthalai on July 27, 1947, he declares that Aryans—read Brahmins—living in the Dravida land (which he calls "our land" and distinguishes it from Hindustan) would be solely responsible if Noakhali-like incidents happened there. The Noakhali riots of 1946 resulted in the butchery of countless Hindus.

According to his then-estranged disciple, C. N. Annadurai, he mellowed down in the early 1950s. Anna says, in an article written on March 25, 1956, that Periyar, in fact, referred to the Pappans (a pejorative term, usually employed by him) as Brahmins in a speech made in January 1953, which was later published in Viduthalai. Periyar also said that he didn't want the Brahmins to be driven out of Tamil Nadu, which in any case would be impractical. He also asserted that he didn't believe in violence and that there wasn't much difference between Brahmins and non-Brahmins. All that changed over the next few years.