Chennai: Political leaders across party lines in Tamil Nadu on Thursday paid tributes to social reformer and Dravidar Kazhagam founder E V Ramasamy, revered as 'Thanthai Periyar', on his 147th birth anniversary.
September 17 is observed as Social Justice Day in the state, reaffirming its commitment to the principles of equality, self-respect and rationalism championed by Periyar.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay led the state in paying homage to the social reformer, saying Periyar had spent his entire life fighting to eradicate social divisions and protect people's rights.
In a post on the microblogging platform X, Vijay said Periyar had sown "progressive thoughts anchored in self-respect, social justice and rationalism" in the minds of the people.
He highlighted the reformer's lifelong struggle against discrimination based on caste and religion and his efforts to secure the fundamental rights of the people.
Later in the day, Vijay administered the Social Justice Day pledge to state ministers, government officials and Secretariat staff at a formal ceremony at the Chennai Secretariat.
சுயமரியாதையும், சமூகநீதியும், பகுத்தறிவும் நிறைந்த முற்போக்குச் சிந்தனைகளை மக்கள் மனங்களில் விதைத்து, சாதி, மத வேறுபாடுகளைக் களைந்திடவும், மக்களின் உரிமைகளை மீட்டெடுக்கவும் தம் வாழ்நாள் முழுவதும் போராடிய தந்தை பெரியார் அவர்களின் பிறந்தநாளில், அவரது புரட்சிகரமான சிந்தனைகளையும், கொள்கைகளையும் பெருமையுடன் நினைவுகூர்ந்து வணங்குகிறேன்.தந்தை பெரியாரின் கொள்கைத் தடத்தில் பயணித்து, “பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும்” என்ற முழக்கத்தின்படி, சம வாய்ப்புகளால் அனைவரும் வளம்பெற்று, சுயமரியாதை மிளிரும் தமிழ்நாட்டை உருவாக்கிட இந்நாளில் உறுதியேற்போம்!தந்தை பெரியார் விதைத்த சமூகநீதியின் விதைகள் தலைமுறைதோறும் தழைத்தோங்கட்டும்! வெற்றித் தமிழகத்தை உருவாக்கும் பயணத்தில் அவரது கொள்கைகள் நமக்கு வழிகாட்டட்டும்!#CMJosephVijay
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) September 17, 2026
DMK President M K Stalin marked the occasion by leading the Social Justice Day pledge and garlanding Periyar's statue near the Omandurar Government Estate on Anna Salai.
He was accompanied by party treasurer T R Baalu and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin.
"Thanthai Periyar is the roaring fire that burns down hatred! The beacon of rationalism for the resurgence of the Tamil race!" Stalin posted on X, adding, "Thanthai Periyar will endure forever—everywhere!"
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami paid tributes to Periyar's sustained crusade against entrenched inequalities.
In a post on X, Palaniswami said Periyar had fought against caste dominance, social disparities and superstitions to build a new society based on four principles: "self-respect, rationalism, equality and social justice."
"His struggle was not against any single individual; it was against dominance. His voice was not meant for one era alone; it is a voice that must resonate until equality is achieved," Palaniswami said.
He urged people to pledge to follow the path of social justice laid down by Periyar and guided by the principle that "there is no high or low by birth; every human must be respected as a human."
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B Manickam Tagore urged people to follow the path of social justice espoused by Periyar.
"Let us continue the journey to protect equality," he posted on X.
Tributes were also paid across the state by several prominent leaders, among them Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar, ministers N Anand, A Rajmohan and Vanni Arasu, CPI(M) State General Secretary P Shanmugam, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, former BJP state president K Annamalai, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss, president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss and DK president K Veeramani.
