Anna about Periyar
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#HBDPeriyar142
His services to society are indeed great. The people of the country have not attained intellectual fertility to such an extent as to accept his ideas and ideals. 1/n
The growth of a crop depends upon the fertility of the soil. Likewise people of good intellectual capacity only can grasp and foster his ideas and ideals.
We cannot say that his service does not do any good..
After his forty years' social service, intellectual revolution has achieved success in Tamil Nadu. None can deny it. We know well how powerful and potent his rationalist propaganda is.
When he began his propaganda, certain classes of people were considered unfit for learning. Even those poor people believed it to be true.
I am ready to propagate and implement the ideas and ideals of Periar. The question is: "Shall I do some useful things assuming the charge of the Government or shall I do it at the social level with you?"
I leave it to Periar to decide. If he says, Well, my disciple! depart and do it” I am ever prepared for it. Still his ideas and ideals have not been completely put into practice.
Of course, it will take many years to carry them out. But it will be implemented.
The service that Periar has taken up is a laudable service. The country needs his most useful service. Periar only has that rare ability to do it.
We must give him rest or we must carry on his duty. But both our fields are different. But each of them is as important as the other
Society cannot be completely changed by
Government alone. The Government has not
that mighty power. Though a Government is given to me, it cannot act independently. There is a big Government above to control it.
In any country of the world, society is reformed more by individual social reformers than by the people running the Government. Because of the untiring efforts of Periar and because of his rationalist ideas our society is registering remarkable progress.
Gold is not obtained in bars, immediately
after the earth is dug. After so many hard
ships, the glittering gold is got. Just like
that the task of social reform has many
obstacles to overcome.
Speech delivered at Nagarasampatti on 19.12-67.
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