Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on September 6, 2021 declared September 17 as ‘Day of Social Justice’ in the state.
- According to the state Chief Minister, it is a tribute to social reformer and father of the Dravidian movement ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy on his birth anniversary.
- Born on September 17, 1879, Periyar started self-respect movement in 1925.
- He founded Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), a political party, but in 1949 his lieutenant CN Annadurai moved to form the current ruling government Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
- Periyar dropped his surname ‘Naicker’– a caste name – to show his stance on caste discrimination.
