A septuagenarian former VHP State President has been arrested in Tamil Nadu under the draconian SC ST Atrocities Act and other sections of IPC allegedly for making derogatory remarks about  Ambedkar and Tamil saint poet Thiruvalluvar. He was arrested in the wee hours from house house in Chennai which sparked criticism and questioning of why he was arrested while Udayanidhi Stalin who called for “Eradicating Sanatana Dharma” is roaming freely.

RBVS Manian, the 76 year old spiritual speaker and a former president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad made the alleged remarks in an event organised by Vivega Bharti on September 11. Only edited clippings of his speech are available on the internet and Dravidianists shared the same, alleging that Manian derogated Ambedkar and Thiruvalluvar and incited violence. In the clips available on social media he can be heard saying, “The constitution was not written by only one person. It was drafted by a 300 member committee headed by Rajendra Prasad. Ambedkar was like a proofreader who would check what the stenographer typed.”

“Some lunatics say Ambedkar gave us the Constitution. They seem to have pawned their intelligence. All the parties have pawned their intelligence, people will stop voting for them if they say Ambedkar is not from their caste. Is he from Thirumavalavan’s caste? Tell me..Thirumavalavan is a Paraiyar. Ambedkar is a Chakkiliyar. How can Ambedkar belong to your caste? Will the Paraiyars and Sakkiliyars intermarry? Has a Parayar ever married a Pallar?”

It appears that Manian was speaking about Ambedkar’s name being used to treat SC STs as mere vote banks. All the castes mentioned in his speech are SCs and he appears to have pointed out that they discriminate among themselves while Dracidianists accuse Brahmins of discriminating against them.

At another instance Manian ji says, “Do you know when Kambar or OttaKoothar was born? Bharathiyar’s date of birth itself is under scrutiny. Do you know when Thiruvalluvar was born? Was the name given by his parents? Who named him so? Is there any authenticity? There is no evidence to show that someone named Thiruvalluvar lived. Someone wrote Thriuvalluva Malai, a compilation of Thirukkural and named it so.”

“The person who wrote it didn’t give it any name. He is an imaginary person. That he wrote Thirukkural is also imaginary. But you believe all that as ‘satya’. How can you call Ramayana a lie? We celebrate Rama’s birthday on Rama Navami and Krishnashtami. I have the exact nakshatra under which Rama was born. We know that his dad was Dasrath. Who was Thiruvalluvar’s dad?”

Kambar, OttaKoothar and Thiruvalluvar are greatly celebrated poets from the Sanagam age. Here also more than mocking them, especially Thiruvalluvar and Thirukkural, Manian’s aim appears to be to question the hypocrisy of Dravidianists and other anti-Hindus in dismissing Hindu deities and itihas as myths. 

In another video clipp which doesn’t seem to be from the same event, Manian spoke about his encounter with a SC Hindu who had converted to Islam. He said, “Thevar’s sickle wielding hands started shaking once he(a Paraiyar) converted and became a Muslim. I asked the Paraiyar why he would convert to Islam than take up the sickle himself when Thevars gave him trouble.”

“I told them in Ramanathapuram ‘Why are you becoming a Muslim? Stand tall as a Hindu. We will support you if Thevars come to attack you. Only one of you will be alive. Why do you hesitate to hack? Can’t you pick up the same sickle? Don’t give up and become Muslims”. Thevars are an OBC caste and Paraiyars are SCs. There is a longstanding history of violence between both communities due to feudalistic and agrarian issues. 

Manian’s above speech appears to be in the context of encouraging the suppressed Paraiyar community to stand up for themselves rather than running away from trouble and giving up their identity. However it was twisted as a Brahmin encouraging bloodbath between two non-brahmin castes with the usual suspects abusing the Brahmin community.

All his comments mentioned above were construed as provoking enmity between communities, inducing riots and abusing revered figures. He has been booked under sections 153, 153(A), 505(a) 505(b), 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. He was arrested by Tamil Nadu police from his residence at 3.30 in the early morning of September 14.  He has been remanded to two weeks of judicial custody and lodged at the Puzhal prison.

Fresh off the Dravidian ecosystem. Seeks shoot at sight order at Brahmins and calls that day as “true Independence Day”!! pic.twitter.com/HTiek5HL9C

— Krishnan (@cvkrishnan) September 14, 2023

Dravidianists rejoiced at the 70+ year old’s arrest and one self-acclaimed journalist posted on X “This Sanatani should have been bumped off in an encounter” and “the true independence day of India will be on the day when shoot at sight orders are issued for Brahmins”. After this blatant call for genocide gained attention he/she quickly deleted the account.

Netizens questioned the DMK government’s hurry in arresting a 76 year old man in the wee hours while Udayanidhi who called for eradicating Sanatana Dharma is roaming free and many anti-Hindu vitriolic remarks have been made against Hindus since then.