Altaf Hussain vs Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Altaf Hussain founded the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (originally Mohajir Qaumi Movement) in 1984 to represent the political rights of Urdu-speaking Muhajir communities in Karachi. The party became a dominant force in urban Sindh.

Altaf Hussain went into self-exile in London in 1992 after a military operation against the MQM in Karachi. He has since led the party from exile, using telephone addresses to communicate with followers.

Altaf Hussain was convicted in absentia by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court on October 15, 2020, for treason and inciting violence. The court sentenced him to 21 years in prison for his speeches allegedly promoting hatred against state institutions.

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy led the Vaikom Satyagraha in Travancore, a non-violent protest demanding the right of lower-caste Hindus to use the road around the Vaikom temple. He was arrested twice, and the movement gained national attention.

Periyar founded the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu, advocating for the rationalism, atheism, and the destruction of caste hierarchy. The movement rejected Brahminical dominance and promoted Dravidian identity.

Periyar led protests against the introduction of Hindi as a compulsory subject in Tamil Nadu schools. The agitations forced the government to withdraw the policy, and Periyar became a symbol of Tamil linguistic pride.

Periyar took over leadership of the Justice Party, which later evolved into the Dravidar Kazhagam. He used the party to campaign for Dravidian nationalism, anti-Hindi policies, and the abolition of caste-based discrimination.