Mylai Chinna Thambi Pillai Rajah (17 June 1883 – 20 August 1943) is a Tamil Politician and Equal Rights Activist. M.C. Rajah broke the shackles that held back scheduled community students in Pachayappa college. He was extremely concerned with the possible alienation that might come with British manipulations and the caste chauvinism of so-called upper caste Hindus. A great leader whose personality nationally rivaled even Dr. Ambedkar, he was also a proud Hindu.
Uncompromising in his pursuit for social justice, he was also strongly rooted in Hindu culture. He famously said that before creating Hindu-Muslim unity there should first be Hindu unity.He also opposed religious conversion as a solution to caste problems. When tradition was cited as a reason to soft pedal reform, he said that when an injustice has been perpetuated in the name of age-old tradition, it is all the more reason for abolishing it than tolerating it.He declared that his vision was to see Hindus united as one strong egalitarian body through constitutional and social reforms so that they could attain a pristine state of great glory.
Countering the victimhood narrative of Hindu religion suppressing sections of society for millennia, he marshaled facts after facts from history which showed the scheduled community to be the real custodians of Hindu culture. He pointed out that it was at the feet of a scheduled caste member that Shankaracharya received practical non-dualist wisdom. He cited evidence from inscriptions—which state that Parayar were considered judges in land disputes related to temples grants—to eye witness accounts of eighteenth-century temple festivals, like that of Thiruvarur Shiva temple where the Parayar community leader used to accompany the deity in the elephant. He reclaimed the respectful place of scheduled communities in the cultural and spiritual space of Hinduism. He enjoyed good relations with Hindu Maha Sabha leaders Dr. Moonje and Lala Lajpat Rai. He entered into an agreement with Dr. Moonje and expressed his gratitude to Lajpat Rai for making the abolition of untouchability the precondition for national freedom.
MC Rajah Youth Movement was started by a group of youth inspired by the life of MCR to promote his legacy and values.
Source: https://swarajyamag.com/culture/the-forgotten-gems-of-tamil-nadu
Srishti Madurai 