Why Annamalai's tribute to Periyar brought back his BJP-time flogging video

Why Annamalais tribute to Periyar brought back his BJPtime flogging video

Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai's tribute to social reformer Periyar has brought his self-flagellation video from 2024 into the spotlight. His description of Periyar as a leader who fought against 'inequalities and superstitions' is being seen by some as a change of stance.

For former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, a tribute to Dravida Kazhagam (DK) founder EV Ramasamy Naicker (EVR), or Periyar, has brought an old video of the BJP leader back into focus. On Periyar's 147th birth anniversary, the IPS officer-turned-politician praised the Dravidian icon for fighting "inequalities and superstitions". These mentions have prompted some critics to juxtapose Annamalai's post with the religious act of self-flagellation he performed less than two years ago while he was in the BJP.

Annamalai posted on X on Thursday, describing Periyar as someone who "played a pivotal role in social reform movements" and left "an indelible impact on the social and political history of Tamil Nadu".

"In remembrance and reverence of Periyar, who dedicated the greater part of his life to combating the inequalities and superstitions prevalent in society," he wrote.

The post stood out because it was only the second time Annamalai had publicly marked Periyar's birth anniversary since entering politics. His first tribute came in 2020, shortly after he joined the BJP. During his years as Tamil Nadu BJP chief, until his resignation in 2026, the 42-year-old founder of a new political movement, We the Leaders, did not post similar birthday messages for Periyar.

That long gap, coupled with Annamalai's often critical references to Periyar, has given Thursday's tribute a political context.

HAS ANNAMALAI'S TONE OF POLITICS SHIFTED?

Annamalai has spoken about Periyar at several points in his political career, at times praising aspects of his social reform legacy and at other times criticising his views. His position has consequently been read as the political contest between the BJP and the Dravidian parties (DMK and the AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu.

This time, however, it was the specific wording of the tribute that drew attention.

Some social media users questioned how Annamalai's reference to Periyar's fight against "superstitions" should be reconciled with his own public religious practices.

"You can't hold a grudge against Periyar while living in Tamil Nadu. You just have to do charanvandan," reservation reforms activist and YouTuber Ajeet Bharti wrote on X reacting to Annamalai's post.

"The sweat of Hindu heart emperors starts pouring out. But yes, BJP supporters shouldn't take a dig, BJP is many steps ahead in doing obeisance to them," Bharti added.

Another person wrote on X, "Is he trying to say that Hindu Dharma, our Devi Devta, rituals and other dharmic practices are superstitions?" Meanwhile, another person accused Annamalai of praising Periyar despite the activist's criticism of religious beliefs.

These are social media interpretations of Annamalai's intent. His post did not say which practices or beliefs he meant by Periyar's reference to superstition.

But one old video quickly became part of the online conversation.

WHY HAS THE FLOGGING VIDEO OF ANNAMALAI RETURNED?

In December 2024, when Annamalai was Tamil Nadu BJP president, he publicly flogged himself six times outside his residence in Coimbatore.

He had announced the act as a protest against the handling of the Anna University sexual assault case and said he would also remain barefoot until the then-CM MK Stalin-led DMK government was removed from power. He later explained the self-flagellation as part of Tamil tradition and said "it was his offering to Lord Murugan".

The ritual, known as Sattai Adi, is described as a form of penance in Tamil Hindu culture. Other forms of religious penance include piercing the cheeks and walking on burning coal.

That context is now being brought back into the debate over Annamalai's Periyar tribute.

Periyar's public legacy was closely associated with rationalism, opposition to religious superstition, and campaigns against caste inequalities, while Annamalai's political image has also been closely linked to Hindu religious symbolism, particularly due to his association with the BJP.

ANNAMALAI'S JOURNEY FROM PENANCE TO PERIYAR

The old self-flagellation footage has therefore taken on a new meaning in the latest social media debate, as people have placed the act and Annamalai's post about Periyar side by side.

In 2024, Annamalai presented self-flagellation as a traditional act of penance and an offering to Lord Murugan.

In 2026, his Periyar tribute invoked the reformer's fight against "inequality and superstition".

The two moments come from very different political contexts. The collision of contexts on social media shows the difficulty of separating Tamil Nadu's competing political traditions of Dravidian rationalism, Hindu religious identity and electoral politics, from the personal political journeys of leaders who operate within them.

For Annamalai, the Periyar tribute might be a political message. But the words he chose also have reopened an older question about where his politics sits between the two competing traditions.