When the ideal of Dravidian nationalism was projected in the 1940s, Periyar's religious philosophy also underwent a modification to assert that Hinduism was not the religion of the Dravidians. They have gained wisdom and courage to call for the downfall of Gandhism. But now this fact has been found out at least by some of the people. We also concluded unless the Congress party that subscribes to such philosophy and principle is abolished it will not be good to the country. Regarding Mahatma Gandhi's views on Hinduism and Hindu Varnashramadharma, Periyar wrote:"The day when Gandhi said God alone guides him, that Varnashramadharma is superior system fit to govern the affairs of the world and that everything happens according to God's will, we came to the conclusion that there is no difference between Gandhism and Brahminism. Through the Self-Respect Movement,Periyar preached that compared to other religions, Hinduism placed many restrictions on men by prohibiting all except a small minority of Brahmins from reading the religious texts or discussing religious matters and by evolving a caste system in the name of divine law, and by creating several gods and festivals to provide an assured income and prosperity to the small Brahmin group at the expense of all others. "His contemptuous attitude to the baleful influence of Hinduism in Indian public life is strikingly akin to the anti- Catholic diatribes of the enlightenment philosophes." Maria Misra compares him to the philosophes, With no distinct doctrines and no particular sacred book, it was said to be an imaginary religion preaching the superiority of the Brahmin the inferiority of the Shudra, and the untouchability of the Panchama. In Periyar's school of thought, there was no religion by name Vedic Hinduism derived from the name of a place. Religion exploits the suppressed classes." As religions, however, they are prone to be hit by accusation of superstition, exploitation and irrationalism. Religion prevents progress and suppresses man. With regards to institutionalized religion being used for personal gain, Periyar stated that "religion goes hand in hand with superstition and fear. He has spoken appreciatively of these other faiths in India finding in their ethics principles of equality and justice, thus advocating them if they can prove an alternative to Brahamanic Hinduism. Periyar has been a harsh critic of the Aryan influenced Hinduism in Tamil Nadu, more than the faiths of Islam, Buddhism and Christianity.
Both opposed religion virulently because, in their views, the so-called men of religion invented myths and superstitions to keep the innocent and ignorant people in darkness and to go on exploiting them. Ramasamy resulted in him being considered the Voltaire of South India.
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