Centre fostering religious hatred, says DMK MP Kanimozhi

Coimbatore: DMK MP Kanimozhi on Saturday said anyone who demeans or publicly mocks women could not be considered a follower of self-respect or Periyar's ideology.

Speaking after inaugurating a conference to mark the centenary celebrations of the Self-Respect Movement, organized by the Dravida Iyakka Tamilar Peravai in Coimbatore, she said the most beautiful and powerful word in the world was self-respect, and that it was the fundamental principle of human life.

"The movement that instilled the sense of self-respect among the TN folk is the Dravidian movement. Many countries have various forms of inequality. Among these, except for gender inequality, other forms could often be changed. Periyar fought his entire life for the oppressed and against caste discrimination," she said.

Fascism, she said, tells women and the oppressed not to question anything. Those who deny women's liberation could not be considered self-respecting individuals. Anyone who demeans or publicly mocks women could not claim to follow the ideals of self-respect or Periyar, she said.

According to Kanimozhi, there was a time in Tamil Nadu when caste suffixes were absent from names. "Even states with high literacy rates have not had the courage to remove caste suffixes. They retain them with pride. However, in Tamil Nadu, due to wrong politics, we are witnessing a slow resurgence of caste-based suffixes. We must put an end to this trend."

She said the BJP govt at the Centre was fostering religious hatred and seizing the rights of states by passing bills in parliament. "It is our duty to protect the country and Tamil Nadu from these infiltrating forces."