Justice Party

1. Formation and Early Origins

Background: The roots of the movement began with the formation of the Madras Dravidian Association in 1912. Later, the Non-Brahmin Movement formally started in 1916.

Founding: The South Indian Liberal Federation (SILF), also known as the South Indian Liberal Association, was established in 1916 by T.M. Nair and other leaders. It evolved from the South Indian People’s Association.

Name Change: The South Indian Liberal Federation eventually became popularly known as the Justice Party.

2. Core Objectives and Ideology

Main Goal: The primary objective of the Justice Party was to promote the political interests of Non-Brahmins and to secure representation in government services and educational institutions.

Catalyst for the Movement: The movement emerged because Brahmins had gained disproportionate advantages in modern education and government jobs.

Political Stance: Leaders of the Madras Presidency demanded regional autonomy for the Non-Brahmin polity. The Justice Party strongly opposed the Home Rule Movement as they considered it a Brahmin-dominated movement.

3. Publications and Conferences

Manifesto: The Non-Brahmin