Background:
- The Justice Party (1916) was the first organised voice of non-Brahmins against Brahmin domination in politics and society.
- Periyar, after quitting the Congress in 1925, launched the Tamil weekly Kudi Arasu and began mobilising people under the Self-Respect Movement.
- The aim was to create social equality, self-respect for non-Brahmin masses, and liberation from caste hierarchy.
Key Features of the Movement:
- Radical Social Reform: Questioned caste, religion, and gender hierarchies; opposed Brahminical dominance.
- Self-Respect Marriages: Promoted marriages without priests, rituals, or dowry, later recognised legally in Tamil Nadu.
- Women’s Rights: Supported widow remarriage, divorce, abortion rights, property rights, and women’s education.
- Caste & Social Justice: Empowered marginalised castes, challenged untouchability, and promoted equality.
- Media Role: Through Kudi Arasu, Periyar spread radical ideas of rationalism, atheism, and anti-caste politics.
Impact:
- The movement gave voice to non-Brahmin masses and shaped Dravidian politics.
- It challenged Congress nationalism, arguing it upheld caste inequalities.
- Inspired later reforms in Tamil Nadu, including social justice policies, reservation, and gender reforms.
Legacy:
-  The Self-Respect Movement remains a milestone in India’s social history, remembered for its bold attack on caste oppression and its progressive ideas on gender and equality.
-  It continues to influence Dravidian politics and Tamil Nadu’s social policies today
Why in News?
-  This year marks the centenary of the Self-Respect Movement (1925–2025), a landmark social reform movement in Tamil Nadu led by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy.

