Social reformer of Kerala remembered

This is a time to revisit those memories, Vijayan said in a post on social media.Vijayan said Ayyankali fought for the rights of the Dalit community through protests at a time when the members of the community were deprived of education and a decent wage.Such historic struggles laid the base for a modern Kerala society.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday remembered the contributions of social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali who laid the base for a modern Kerala.

Vijayan said on the occasion of the reformer's 159th birth anniversary today that Ayyankali led a struggle against the casteist and feudalism during his time.

''The endeavour he made to bring forward the marginalised Dalit communities to the mainstream of the society are written in the golden chapters of history. This is a time to revisit those memories,'' Vijayan said in a post on social media.

Vijayan said Ayyankali fought for the rights of the Dalit community through protests at a time when the members of the community were deprived of education and a decent wage.

''Such historic struggles laid the base for a modern Kerala society. The social development achieved by Kerala was due to such struggles. The memories of Ayyankali will surely help us to overcome social differences and inequalities and uplift the Kerala society into an egalitarian one,'' Vijayan said.

Ayyankali (1863 – 1941) worked for the development of the Dalits who were considered as untouchables.PTI RRT KH NVG NVG