After a few failed attempts to
achieve unity NSS, the major organization representing Nairs and SNDP Yogam,
the major organization representing Ezhava community in Kerala have decided to
join hands to face issues that threaten the Hindu community in Kerala. The
reason for the current realization of unity is the increasing strength of
Muslim community in the affairs of the state through their political party
Indian Union Muslim League.
The latest development was announced
by NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair by the end of June 2012. This was
approved by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.
Previous NSS-SNDP unity moves
The first NSS-SNDP unity move was
made by none other than NSS founder Mannath Padmanabhan and SNDP stalwart R.
Sankar. Mannam even discontinued the use of his title Pillai for the sake of
unity. That unity was mainly aimed to weaken the increasing dominance of
Christians in Congress. But the unity did not last. Perhaps egos of two
community members broke it. Also it was administered from top. Ordinary Nairs
and Ezhavas did not wholeheartedly welcome it.
During the period when Kidangoor
Gopalakrishna Pillai was general secretary of NSS again there was unity move.
But it did not go further. The political conditions of the time saw a power
equilibrium in Kerala among different communities and perhaps that was the
reason for the stagnation.
The last attempt for Nair-Ezhava unity
was in 2007. The then general secretary of NSS P.K. Narayana Panicker and Mr.
Natesan had joined hands to face threats to Kerala Hindus. Though it went
smooth for a while and Nairs and Ezhavas generally accepted the unity, it could
not go further over silly issues. The main issue was inability of NSS
leadership to control their nominee who headed Travancore Devaswom Board which
controls temples in southern part of Kerala and the alleged involvement of a
SNDP representative in the board in bribery scams. The issue finally resulted
in both organizations parting ways.
However the real reason was said to
be manipulations made by some Congress leaders in Kerala who were afraid of the
threats posed by the unity to political prospects of Congress in the state. Normally
majority of Nairs vote for Congress, but Hindu unity means Nairs may vote for
BJP.
After Mr Nair became NSS general
secretary, he had been sending feelers to Vellappally to revive the unity but
Vellappally seemed to be cautious at first. The recent controversy of granting
fifth minister to Muslim League and allotting government funds for a large
number of educational institutions of Muslims in Kerala are the factors which
made Nairs and Ezhavas realize that they have no option but to unite as Hindus.
The current situation in Kerala is
entirely different from the past. Muslim community has become financially and
politically dominant. The community has now become the largest single community
in Kerala accounting for about 25 per cent of population as per official
statistics and 27 per cent according to unofficial ones. The flow of petro
dollar from GCC has made Muslims the richest community in the state. There are
more muslims in Kerala assembly than past.
Comparing unity move with previous
ones
Let us
check if the current unity will survive. When previous unity moves were made
(except in 2007) the Nairs and Ezhavas had not seriously thought about Hindu
identity. The growing influence of Hindu nationalistic organization RSS and
their political party BJP has created a broad Hindu identity among Nairs and
other Hindu castes in Kerala. The new generation is not as proud of caste
identity as their forefathers.
The losing
influence of communist party in Kerala means Ezhavas, their support base, are
not much influenced by Communist ideology which helped divide Kerala Hindus as
backward and forward. Now so called backward Ezhavas don’t have attitude of
hatred toward forward castes of which Nairs constitute major chunk.
Backward
communities in Kerala now do not think Nairs as the group which suppressed
them. The rise of political Islam in Kerala has necessitated the need for Nairs
and Ezhavas to stand together. So that way there is more chances for survival of
unity.
Intercaste
marriages are now common in Kerala and Nairs and Ezhavas are more likely to
accept each other.
While
earlier Nair and Ezhava masses did not approve unity, the current unity is
forced by them. Even after the unity move of 2007 made by Panicker and Natesan
failed masses of both communities continued to support it. So the present unity
move is actually brought by masses. Even if leaders withdrew for some reasons
slow unity of both communities could not be denied.
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