Assertion (A): The Self-Respect Movement, launched by E.V. Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu in 1925, fundamentally transformed the social and political landscape by rejecting Brahminical priesthood, caste discrimination, and customary religious rituals. Reason (R): The movement sought to create an egalitarian society based on rationalism, self-respect marriages conducted without religious priests, and the legal empowerment of women through property rights and education.

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Self-Respect Movement initiated by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in 1925 was a radical socio-political crusade aimed at dismantling caste oppression, religious superstitions, and social inequalities in Tamil Nadu. The movement championed rationalist thinking, self-respect marriages where couples wed without traditional religious rites or Brahmin priests, and advocated passionately for women's liberation, widow remarriage, and property ownership.