EV Ramasamy naicker fondly called "Thanthai Periar"(Father Periar) was a social reformer and politician in india who was the founder of "Self Respect Movement and DravidarKazhagam"(Dravidian party) on the caste system and severely dealt the act of discremination , He attacked those who used the system to take advandage of masses through subjugation.
Periar felt that the small numbers of caste fanatic group has created discrimination in order to have domination over the society. He also felt that the caste system in south india is created due to Aryan's influence linked with arrival of the so called higher caste people from the northern part of india.
In 1952 Rajaji has introduced a new educational policy which was called"KULA KALVI THITTAM"(Heriditory education scheme) under which the students will have to school in morning and in the evening they have to learn the work of his father which was related to the caste ,thus a carpenter's son will learn the work of carpentery and a priest son will learn the art of conducting pooja through chanting manthras. This scheme was launched as a clever device against Dalits and other backward classes. And EVR demanded the with drawal and has raised protest agasinst this as he felt that it was caste based aimed at maintaining catse hegemony . This scheme was dropped by Mr.Kamaraj after realising the fact that the protest bears genuine cause .
Periar realited that the domination of brahmins was not restrictedto the sphere of administration and worship. it was found that in tamilnadu most of the hotels indicated on the name boards that they are maintained by brahmins and only served to brahmins . Periar organised protest against of the word "For the brahmins and By the brahmins
As soon as periar entered in the congress party he observed that the brahmins had many more government jobs than the non brahmins . He wanted the congrees government to pass a resolution demanding communal representations in education as well as in the government jobs. His suggestions were not taken by the then government he left the congress to form self respect movement and finally the madras government has passed that resolution on communal representation in education and employments.
The only draw back of him is that being an atheist he never believe in the God existance and his sayin like
"There is no god exist"
"who invented god are fools"
"Those who preach god are scoundrels"
"Those who worship god are barbarians"
recieve poor response from the public as they felt he would not have touched the sentiments of hindus When periar has boldly criticise the hindu god , he dont have the courage to criticise muslims and christian god as he fear of the consequence it will create.,but it is no doubt that he played crucible role for the uplift of the backward communities better than Dr.Ambedkar