'GU Pope and Caldwell Are School Dropouts': Ravi Calls 'Grammar of Dravidian Languages' a Fake Book

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi called scholar-missionaries Robert Caldwell and G U Pope just school dropouts recruited by the British as part of their mission to evangelise India. Social reformers like Ayya Vaikundar Swamigal protected Sanatan Dharmas and, today, Prime Minister Modi’s call for ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ is the essence of the teachings of such reformers, the TN Governor said.

Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Monday recounted how ceaseless attempts were being made to destroy India's Sanatan Dharma since the days of the East India Company and how, in those days, a school dropout like Rev Robert Caldwell authored a fake book called ‘A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian Family of Languages’.

Governor Ravi, who delivered his presidential address at the 192nd birth anniversary of social reformer Ayya Vaikundar, said that the British used to recruit school dropouts like Robert Caldwell and G U Pope through a society called the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG) and sent them to India. Robert Caldwell, who failed to finish his formal education, did not even passed the school and such persons started closing all the native schools, running here for a long time, he said.

The TN Governor alleged that at that time, only Missionaries were allowed to run the schools and they will only get admission when they are baptized and they started targeting the poor and marginalized sections. During this time when Sanatan Dharma was under acute existential threat, great saints like Ayya Vaikundar (1833) and Thiruvarutprakasa Vallalar (1824) appeared on this sacred land, he said.

"Even today, there are people who want to destroy Sanatan Dharma. They are the followers of those who collaborated with the British, mourned on August 15, 1947, our Independence Day, and observed it as a Black Day. Sanatan is where everything is inclusive. As all the other faiths are divisive, the world is looking forward to Sanatan Dharma," Governor Ravi said.

The TN Governor further said that in 1600, when East India Company came to India for trading, one of their tasks was to evangelize India and when the British Government took over, they started strategically destroying the Sanatan Dharma and also targeted institutions. Henry Templeton, the then British Prime Minister, in his speech in the British Parliament, called evangelisation of India not only their duty but also a necessity, he recalled.

"Today, our country is awake and experiencing a comprehensive resurgence. We are all fortunate that we are living in this age, witnessing and participating, playing our role. Hon’ble Prime Minister’s call for ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ is the essence of the teachings and vision of Ayya Vaikundar Swamigal. Today, we are fulfilling his dreams, mission, and vision, which also resonated in the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s message on the birth anniversary of Ayya Vaikundar Swamigal," Governor Ravi said.

In his speech, Governor Ravi made an elaborate mention of Ayya Vaikundar's profound contributions in fighting against social discrimination and tirelessly worked for the marginalized, suppressed sections of society, establishing social justice, which is the core of Sanatan Dharma. He also released the book, "Sri Mahavishnu’s Avatharam Sri Vaikundaswamy Aruliya Sanathana Varalaru" (Tamil Version) on the occasion.

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