Periyar and the Indian National Congress

[2][3][4] In 1919 Periyar Ramaswamy joined the Indian National Congress after quitting his business and resigning from public posts.

When Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi started the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, he suggested that Congressmen should avoid sending their children to schools which were under the supervision of the British rulers.

[7] In a place called Cheranmadevi in Tirunelveli district, a residential school, also known as Gurukulam, was started with help from the Tamil Nadu Congress.

Prominent congressmen like Dr. Varadarajulu Naidu, Thiru V.Ka, S. Ramanathan and others condemned the sectarian attitude of Iyer in running a public institution.

[8] When Periyar joined the Congress in 1919, he believed that the prominent people in that organisation were enlightened and hoped that with their co-operation, he could get rid of the practice of untouchability.

Soon after his return from Vaikom, Periyar made the last and sixth attempt at getting the Tamil Nadu Congress to pass the resolution regarding communal representation at a conference held in Kanchipuram in 1925.

Thiru V.Ka was the President at the time and sensing opposition in the open session, he did not permit Periyar to propose the resolution.

[7] Periyar felt that the Brahmins, who formed a majority in the Indian National Congress and occupied the high posts, desired to dominate the party.