Allegations have surfaced regarding the Dravidian ideology’s purported agenda of eradicating Sanatana Dharma and severing the connection of Hindus with their cultural roots. With a significant political presence in Tamil Nadu for decades, these forces are now being accused of extending their influence beyond borders, specifically targeting Tamil-speaking individuals in Malaysia, particularly focusing on the Hindu youth.
The Dravidian ideology, which has played a prominent role in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, is now under scrutiny for its alleged attempts to influence the diaspora community in Malaysia. Critics claim that the primary objective is to disconnect Hindus from their cultural and spiritual heritage, specifically targeting the younger generation.
Karunchattai Ilaingar Padai (Black Shirt Army) in coalition with Malaysia Dravidar Kazhagam organised a seminar titled “International Youth Rationalism Forum-2023” at ‘Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall’ in Kuala Lumpur on December 24, 2023.
According to the organisers, the main purpose of the conference is to propagate the ideology of E.V. Ramasamy Naicker among the Malaysian youth, under the guise of rationalist and progressive thinking in younger generation. This event was organised on the occasion of EV Ramasamy Naicker 50th death anniversary. To attract and influence the youngsters, the organisers invited speakers of the same age group who are part of Periyarist group and anti-Hindu student organisations from Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, Canada, United States of America, and Sri Lanka. Malaysia Dravidar Kazhagam, Manthaneya Dravidar Kazhagam, Malaysia Tamizhar Tanmana Periyakkam, Pera State Periyar Pasarai, Periyar Narpani Mandram and Tamizh Neri Kazhagam were the seminar co-organizers.
Sensing this danger from diviosionary Dravidian forces, Hindu organisations in Malaysia strongly opposed the event. On December 20, consortium of 27 Hindu organisations, including Hindu Seva Sangam and Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram, organised a press conference to express their condemnation against the seminar and demanded the Malaysian Home Ministry immediately ban the conference. Initially, the seminar was scheduled to be held at My Skills College in Kuala Lampur, but later venue was later changed to Kula Lumpur & Selangor Assembly Hall due to intense protest from Hindus.
Thanga Ganesan, President of Malaysia Hindu Sangam said “Malaysian government should immediately ban this so-called atheist seminar which is against the Hindu religion. The seminar is also against “Keep faith in God”, which is one of the five doctrines of Malaysia”.
On social media, a large number of Hindus posted messages urging the Malaysian government to outlaw the atheist seminar because the country firmly adheres to the “supreme being” doctrine.
Hindus shared social media posts saying we don’t need EVRism (the ideology of Ramasamy Naicker AKA Periyar). On social media, a video of a Malaysian Hindu man speaking out against the seminar went viral. “We don’t want this Periyarist group, which does propaganda in favour of “living together” relationships, to spoil the lives of our girls and boys,” the man said in the video. This type of seminar is the first step towards religious conversion. This seminar should be stopped at all costs, and the Malaysian home ministry should arrest the organisers immediately. In Malaysia, we (Hindus) live in peace.”
Malaysian Hindus, particularly young people, have recently been targeted by Islamic conversion groups. Hindu organisations such as Malaysia Hindu Sangam run regular awareness campaigns among Hindus and offer legal assistance to affected Hindu families. Periyarist groups have now begun to target Hindu youth under the guise of rationalism, feminism, and so on.
The speakers for this seminar were mostly young Periyarists from Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, and the United States of America. Hindus have expressed strong opposition to the seminar. They do not want Periyarist ideology to infiltrate peaceful Hindu society and corrupt the minds of the next generation of Hindus. Massive Hindu outrage forced the organisers to relocate the seminar to a more ideologically friendly location (Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall), and they were forced to issue a statement stating that the seminar was not anti-Hindutva or Hindu.
