Casteism and Reforms
Ambedkar vs Periyar (EVR): https://qr.ae/ps6lWo
- Ambedkar was pro-Dalit
- EVR didn't care as much
- EVR believed in Dravidian-Aryan divide
- Ambedkar didn't, he cared about the unity of India
- Ambedkar believed in democracy
- EVR thought mixing of cultures is problematic
- EVR hated Sanskirt
- Ambedkar loved Sanskrit
- Ambedkar didn't whitewash Moplah massacre by Muslims against Hindus (though they were upper caste)
- EVR didn't condemn when upper caste Dravidians killed Dalits
- Ambedkar supported Jews and Israel
- EVR hated Jews and justified antisemitic hatred drawing parallels to Brahmins who cared about themselves only
Anti-Periyar:
- "If you meet a Snake and a Brahmin, kill the Brahmin" (was not quoted by EVR directly, he quoted that Beverly Nicholas said it. It was kind of an adage at the time, but he didn't invent it.)
- "all Tamil Brahmins must be killed and all temples and murtis destroyed" - attributed to EVR in audio speech (didn't load) - https://twitter.com/realitycheckind/status/1304106874187309056
- Manuvada: Advocating for a society governed by "Manu Smriti". Opposition parties accuse each other of Manuvada.
- Dravidian-Aryan identity crisis (says it's British manufactured): https://bharatabharati.in/2012/08/27/the-dravidian-identity-crisis-s-aravindan-neelakandan/
Pro-Periyar:
- In support of Periyar alongside Ambedkar (good, detailed): https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Tamil-Brahmins-accept-Ambedkar-reject-Periyar/answer/Pavel-S-32
Takeaways: Periyar was an atheist.