Popular restaurant chain, Adyar Anandan Bhavan (A2B), owner KT Srinivasa Raja recently said in an interview to a YouTube channel that it was thanks to Dravidian leader and reformist Periyar that castes other than Brahmins were able to open restaurants.
Speaking to writer Chitra Lakshmanan, Srinivasa Raja stated, ““At one time, when it came to vegetarian restaurants, they were run entirely by Iyengars. That has slowly changed. How did that happen? The reason for any caste being able to take up any trade is Thanthai Periyar. He changed the practice of kuzha thozhil (caste-based occupation). Times were changing, governments were providing loans and banks also supported people. A profession that was done by a particular community is now being done by anyone and everyone. It’s like anyone can go to the sea and fish.”
His remarks created a controversy and caste Hindu groups, like Hindu Makkal Katchi, called for the boycott of A2B on social media. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi, however, supported what Srinivasa Raja said and wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Thank you for speaking the truth”. Vanni Arasu, Deputy General Secretary of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) wrote on X, “Earlier restaurants were called Iyer or Iyengar hotels. Now non-Brahmins have also started running vegetarian restaurants. The owner of Adyar Ananda Bhavan has said that the reason that all castes are able to run these restaurants that only one particular caste was doing, is Thanthai Periyar. Because of this the Sangh Parivar is campaigning to boycott Adyar Ananda Bhavan. We can see from this their hatred for OBC Hindus.”
