தந்தை பெரியார் - இனப்பகையைச் சுட்டெரிக்கும் பெருநெருப்பு! தமிழினத்தின் எழுச்சிக்கான பகுத்தறிவுப் பேரொளி! தந்தை பெரியார் என்றும் - எங்கும்...

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid glowing tributes to rationalist icon and Dravidian movement progenitor Thanthai Periyar on his birth anniversary, commemorated statewide as Social Justice Day. Stalin described Periyar as an inextinguishable fire that incinerates ethnic animosity and regressive social dogmas, and a radiant beacon of rationalist awakening that catalyzed the modern renaissance of Tamil society. He affirmed that Periyar's philosophical teachings, relentless anti-caste crusades, and defense of human dignity will endure forever across time and geography.

The Chief Minister recalled that Periyar's radical campaigns shattered centuries of religious orthodoxy, patriarchal dominance, and hereditary social subordination, liberating millions of oppressed citizens through the power of critical inquiry and self-respect. Stalin stated that the policies of the contemporary Dravidian Model administration—including gender equity initiatives, non-Brahmin temple priesthood appointments, and universal educational access—are direct legislative realizations of Periyar's transformative vision.

Stalin concluded that honoring Periyar requires active, day-to-day defense of constitutional secularism, federalism, and scientific reason against resurgent reactionary ideologies. He urged younger generations across Tamil Nadu to embrace rational inquiry, reject superstitious subjugation, and champion social justice, human dignity, and democratic rights throughout their civic lives.