Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar

Why is in news? Prime Minister pays tributes to the venerable Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on his sacred Guru Pooja

He was born on 30th October 1908 inPasumpon in Ramanathapuram districtin Tamil Nadu.

He was afreedom-fighter-cum-spiritual leader.

He is seen as a deity among theMukulathor community, a cluster community comprising theKallar, Maravar and Ahambadiar.

Hedid not accept the traditional Hinduismbecause it supported ‘Varnashrama’. He alwaysfought against the evils of Hindu religionHe openlycondemned religious superstitions and narrow mindedness.

Being a socialist and a colleague of Subhash Chandra Bose, heserved as the national deputy chairman of All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) from 1952.

He was elected three times to the national parliamentary constituency of AIFB.

TheTemple Entry Authorisation and Indemnity Actwas passed by the government of C. Rajagopalachari in 1939. Itremoved restrictions prohibiting Dalits from entering Hindu temples.

He supported this reform and in July 1939 he helped the activist A. Vaidyanatha Iyer taking Dalits to Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.

TheCriminal Tribes Act(CTA), enacted by the British in 1920,against the Mukulathor community, against which Thevar protested by mobilising the people and launching protests that was a major milestone in his career.

CTA criminalized entire communities by designating them as habitual criminals.

He was instrumental in getting theact repealed after continuous efforts in 1946.

Hedied on 30th October in 1963due to illness.