A speech on caste, class and “past life sins” delivered by a motivational and ‘spiritual’ speaker at two Chennai government schools has sparked widespread outrage in Tamil Nadu. The speaker, identified as Mahavishnu from Paramporul Foundation, claimed that people are born poor or with disorders because of “what they did in their past lives”.
The Saidapet High School and Ashok Nagar Girls’ High School had invited Mahavishnu to deliver a speech on the occasion of Teachers Day, September 5.
His comments have drawn the ire of many across the state who are asking how the DMK-led government could permit such a speech to be made to students in a public school, given the party’s ideological stance and claims of social justice. Further many are also furious that when a teacher with disabilities attempted to question Mahavishnu, the speaker verbally abused him.
Mahavishnu had said during his speech that “you have been given things in this life based on what you did in your past lives.” He further went on to blame the British for allegedly destroying the Gurukulam system, a system that essentially permitted education on the basis of caste and gender.
In his speech, Mahavishnu also claimed that there were shlokas that could cause a rain of fire, cure ailments and even enable a person to fly. “All these were written as scriptures by our ancestors but the British erased them,” he further claimed.
It may be noted that Mahavishnu was a former comedian and stage performer in Tamil Nadu. He reportedly began Paramporul Foundation in 2021 which “aims to help each person reach their fullest potential,” the official website of the entity says.
After videos of Mahavishnu’s speech at the event on September 5 went viral on social media platforms, netizens, activists and politicians alike have been demanding action from the School Education department of the state.
Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Karti P Chidambram took to X and said, “Distressing to see a charlatan peddle gobbledygook in a government school in Tamil Nadu.”
Congress Member of Parliament (MP) from Tamil Nadu, Jothimani also took to X and questioned why such a speaker was invited to address government school students by pointing out the ideological battle that the DMK has been fighting against the BJP. “Shocked to know that this has happened in a Government school. This will undermine all the efforts of the Government's very ideological battle. The government must act against whoever has invited and allowed him to speak against the scientific temper of the very basic foundation of our education system and humiliate the teacher who has asked the right question,” she wrote.
Deepak Nathan, President of the December 3 movement also took to X and condemned Mahavishnu for having made regressive comments. “Strongest condemnation to this man for threatening a government teacher for having spoken constitutional morality. If someone is born with a disorder or disease,is it because of earth birth sin? Can that person prove it? What a regressive thought!” he wrote.
The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) also organised a protest outside the Ashok Nagar Girls’ High School on Friday morning, condemning the speech and demanded action.
Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, in response to the backlash, addressed the media on Friday, September 6. At the press meet, he praised Shankar, the teacher who objected to Mahavishnu’s speech. The minister said that Shankar had not wanted to register a complaint, but added that the state government was taking cognisance based on the video. Anbil Mahesh added that schools were his “‘turf” and that he would not take it lightly that Mahavishnu had humiliated one of his teachers.
‘Science is the way to progress’: MK Stalin
Amid the controversies, Chief Minister MK Stalin in a statement on Friday September 6, said, “I have decreed to formulate and issue new guidelines for regulating various programs in schools in the state so that all our school children who are the future generation of Tamilnadu, get progressive-scientific ideas and lifestyles.” He further said that the textbooks of students have all the scientific ideas that they will need to know and added “Science is the way to progress.”
The principal of Ashok Nagar Girls’ High School R Tamilarasi has been transferred now by the state government.