Conflict Between Home Rule League and Non-Brahmin Movement

Abstract

The Birth of the Home Rule Movement synchronised with the consolidation of non-Brahmin Movement. In fact the catalyst which triggered the formation the formation of non-Brahmin political organisation was the emergence of the Home Rule League of Annie Besant on 25^th September 1915.¹ The associates of Annie Besant were all Brahmins and her views were derived from the Brahmin influenced works of Puranas, Manu Code, the epics, hindu heros and Festivals of Hinduism.² These views were strongly ridiculed and their credibility was questioned by the well versed non-Brahmins. Thus the development of the Home Rule Movement and its counterpart Dravidian ideology created a new dimension in the politics of the state of Madras and was pushed into the Fore-Front of hat political wave. As a matter of fact, the arrival of Annie Besant put an end to the factional fight and internal feud in Tamil Nadu Congress. And her definite campaign for Home Rule demand confronted the British with the most serious and largest movement among the dissidence of Tamil Nadu. To check the possible Brahmin domination through the Home Rule agitation, the non-Brahmins stood firmly against the transfer of power from the British to Brahmin overlordship or Brahmin oligarchy.³