Alappuzha/Kottayam (Kerala), Jan 21 (PTI) The council of SNDP Yogam, a prominent organisation of the numerically strong Ezhava community, on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for its long-awaited unity with NSS, the forward Nair community outfit, bringing together two major Hindu caste formations in Kerala just ahead of the Assembly elections.
Saint reformer Sree Narayana Guru is the founder of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, while the Nair Service Society was founded by the renowned social reformer Mannath Padmanabhan. Both these organisations enjoy significant influence among the members of their respective communities.
“The unity will become a reality,” said NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair in Changanassery, soon after SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan in Alappuzha announced that his son Thushar Vellappally, who is also SNDP Yogam vice president, will meet Nair to take the matter forward.
The two caste organisations are coming together after a failed experiment in unity more than a decade ago.
Talking to reporters at the NSS headquarters, Nair said the SNDP-NSS unity will not create any obstacle to the declared goals or activities of either organisation.
The SNDP meeting will proceed in line with the activities of its general secretary, he said.
“After preliminary discussions between the leaderships of SNDP and NSS, an NSS leadership meeting will be convened. Following discussions there, with approval, the next steps will be taken,” Nair said.
He also said NSS is not ready to create divisions or alienation between Muslims and other communities. “That is not NSS’s stance”.
Addressing a press conference in Alappuzha, Natesan said thanks are extended to Sukumaran Nair.
“Sukumaran Nair has empowered the Ezhava community. Past mistakes will be corrected. Future decisions will be made only after consulting with the NSS.
“There will no longer be any clash between NSS and SNDP. If it becomes necessary to take a political stance, it will be done,” he said.
Natesan said the organisation has no hostility towards any community and that its effort is to ensure the advancement of everyone, from the Nayadi community (most backward class) to the Nasrani community (Christian community).
However, Natesan, who recently made some controversial remarks against the Muslim League, a key partner of the Congress-led UDF, said that when a comment was made about the party, it was interpreted as hostility towards the Muslim community.
He said that criticising the Muslim community is not the SNDP’s style.
“The SNDP is an organisation that believes in moving forward with coordination and harmony with all communities,” he added.
Meanwhile, the SNDP council meeting passed a resolution against the Muslim League.
The resolution stated that Malappuram district, which is a stronghold of Muslim League, does not belong to anyone’s private empire.
The Muslim League’s secularism is only during election time– in reality, it rules in the name of religion, violating the Constitution. SNDP will respond strongly against such pseudo-secular dramas, it added. PTI TGB TGB KH
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