Answer:
Periyar contributed immensely to social reforms. He experienced vices such as discrimination and exploitation at a very young age. He stood up for the establishment of principles such as equality of castes and sexes and an end to the exploitation of the non-Brahman Dravidians of South India. He was always against the Brahmans. According to him, Brahmans claimed to belong to a 'superior' community and had deprived other communities of self-respect. He claimed that in certain places the scheduled caste people were not allowed to use the tanks, wells and at times even the streets used by Brahmans. He said the untouchables were the true upholders of Tamil culture. He even criticized scriptures which established differences among castes. Periyar's foremost appeal to people was to develop self-respect. He began the Self -Respect movement which spread principles of self-respect and eradication of the caste system. Periyar campaigned to influence the government to take measures to remove social inequalities. He joined the Congress but left it because he witnessed caste discrimination there. In 1944, he formed a party called Dravidar Kazhagam. This organisation aimed at abolition of untouchability. It also propagated women's education and widow remarriage. Periyar published a Tamil weekly called Kudi Aras.
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