Muslim League and CPM hit out at NSS and SNDP leaders for their statement on plight of Kerala Hindus

A joint statement issued by NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair and SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan on plight of Hindus in Kerala has evoked angry reactions from political parties in Kerala, especially CPM and Muslim League.

While CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan commented that the effort of NSS and SNDP leaders was to help the growth of communalism in the state, Muslim League general secretary E T Muhammad Basheer said the statement of NSS and SNDP leaders would adversely affect communal harmony. According to Basheer, the statement of Sukumaran Nair was of low standard and he asked NSS to withdraw from such references. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and chief minister Oommen Chandy however refused to comment on the statement of Nair and Vellappally.

It seems that political parties in Kerala sees red in the emerging Nair-Ezhava unity in Kerala and are wary of Hindu unity moves. Hindu unity in Kerala means political equations will change and propaganda being unleashed by a section of political parties in Kerala aimed to split Hindu castes won’t work anymore.

According to Achuthanandan, NSS-SNDP unity is aimed to help the rich. Achuthanandan commented that leaders of both organizations are trying to threaten those in administration and get things done for them.

KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala who came under vehement attack from NSS leadership for allegedly failing to stand by the demands of Hindu community in Kerala said he will not reply to leaders of social organizations. He said he would not dilute the secular ideals followed by Congress.

However, a different voice was heard from a leader of Mar Thoma Christian Church in Kerala. Metropolitan of the Church Mar Chrisostam is reported to have said that if leaders of majority community have grievances, it should be discussed. I am also ready to discuss the issue, he said.

What political leaders fail to see

Even as political leaders accused NSS and SNDP of helping growth of communalism, they did not explain how a demand for justice could harm communal harmony.  In fact, lack of justice could result in disharmony. It is common in the state for leaders of Muslim Community to publicly speak that their community is being neglected and minorities are being discriminated. But no political party has ever called it a communal campaign.

While the constitution of India envisages reservation in jobs for socially and educationally backward communities, all those adhering to Islam religion in Kerala get reservation. In the history of Kerala, Muslims have never been discriminated against. Majority of MLAs of ruling front in Kerala-UDF- belong to minority communities. Muslim League, a party which split India on the basis of religion has five members in Kerala cabinet and controls powerful ministries. Studies of Kerala government’s Centre for Development Studies has revealed that the major part of money flowing to Kerala from foreign countries belong to minority communities proving that they are affluent in Kerala.

While students of minority communites get different types of financial aid, forward castes in Hindu society who are financially backward do not get any help. Similarly widows belonging to minorities are eligible for different types of financial aid. Forward castes in Hindus are finding it very tough to exist in Kerala at present as they are helpless socially and economically.

Emerging scenario

It seems that political parties in Kerala have smelled danger at the progress of Nair-Ezhava unity. Of the 56 per cent Hindus in Kerala Nair-Ezhava communities in Kerala constitute more than 40 per cent. If at least a third of these communities decide to vote by the new equations developing in the state, a third political front different from UDF and LDF would become crucial in state politics. It seems that the ploy of Political parties dividing Hindus raising the false propaganda that forward castes have brutally tortured backward castes hundreds of years ago won’t work anymore. Hindus have realized who the real exploiters are. If Hindu unity becomes real it would give a new orientation to government policies in Kerala.

Kerala Hindus totally insecure and have few options, say Sukumaran Nair and Vellappally

Hindus in Kerala are feeling totally insecure and the state government seems to care about minorities only, says NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.

After The second round of talks between NSS and SNDP held at NSS headquarters Changanassery on April 26, both leaders said the situation is fast deteriorating for Hindus in Kerala and the only option for them is mass exodus. Though a bit exaggerated, the words of Nair-Ezhava leaders are basically true. Hindus seem to be at the receiving in the state.

In Kerala the needs of only minorities are taken care of and government is neglecting even the fair demands of majority Hindus, said Vellappally and Nair. Vellappally said majority community is not getting justice and Nair-Ezhava communities won’t hesitate to take a joint political stand if the situation warrants. Nair said NSS will discard its policy of equi-distance from political parties if situation demands.

Both leaders said Nair-Ezhava unity has the potential to change the political scene in Kerala and politicians should remember this. Answering criticisms of political leaders in the state that Nair-Ezhava unity and the idea of Hindu unity is leading to communal polarization in Kerala, Sukumaran Nair said it was political parties which neglected them forcing them to unite.

Broad Hindu unity

Nair and Vellappally said Nair-Ezhava unity in the state has been cemented and now the stage is set for a broad Hindu unity in the state. Nair-Ezhava unity which was considered difficult earlier has become total now, said both leaders. This proves that Hindu unity is not an Utopian idea, said both. NSS does not have any opposition for continuing reservation to backward communities and Scheduled caste and tribe Hindus, said Nair. He said NSS and SNDP are aware of the moves to destroy unity of Hindus and such moves won’t succeed.

Nair  said Kerala is being ruled by a ministry supported mainly by minorities and added that their effort was to get the same benefits to majority also. Both said they are not against minorities in the state and minorities should not develop any apprehensions about Hindu unity.

Both leaders held a closed door discussion for about an hour before calling a joint press conference. They said they will decide later whether to form a new political party or not.

Significance 

The latest announcement of NSS and SNDP leaders have significance as it is the first time that they used the word Hindu for majority community. While emphasising Nair-Ezhava unity both leaders used the term majority community earlier.This gives a hint about their future moves. Their announcement of a joint political stand is also significant  as earlier unity moves were always projected as apolitical. It seems that both Nair and Vellappally have realised that unity moves have social acceptance and they can move forward with it.

NSS ends policy of promoting individual leaders; to discuss with SNDP stand to be taken in coming Lok Sabha election

In a bold declaration, Nair Service Society general secretary G Sukumaran Nair has said that NSS would never again strike deals with political parties to promote individual leaders and hereafter the stand of NSS during elections will be issue based.

In an interview to a Malayalam Channel Nair clarified that NSS is not going to continue the policy of equi-distance to different political parites. NSS would make its stand clear to its members in the coming Lok Sabha elections. He said some NSS leaders had supported individuals in the past. NSS won’t play politics for the growth of individuals again, he said.

The stand of NSS is likely to adversely affect the Congress in Kerala as individual leaders of Congress belonging to Nair community had used NSS as stepping stone. By acceding to demands of such leaders, NSS leadership in the past has forgotten the larger interests of Nair Community.  Perhaps some individual NSS leaders might have gained some benefits but not community. As Sukumaran Nair pointed out those congress leaders who gained positions with the support of NSS disowned the organization after gaining positions. They would be too eager to create an image of being Secular even at the cost of damaging the interests of majority community in Kerala.

NSS-SNDP discussions on Lok Sabha elections

Nair said NSS would hold discussions with SNDP regarding the stand to be taken in the coming Lok Sabha elections. NSS is continuing the effort to bring all Hindu castes in Kerala under an umbrella organization, he said. The first part of the effort is to unite different groups among individual castes. At present some caste groups have different organizations. After uniting them all, caste organizations will be brought under an umbrella. Nair said some leaders of Congress lead United Democratic Front in Kerala were trying to destroy Nair-Ezhava unity but won’t succeed. We are aware of such efforts, he said.

Nair said NSS has not got any favours from Congress in return of support given in elections. Even if we don’t support anyone, no political party can dare to dismiss the rightful demands of Nairs. So why should we beg for favours? In fact NSS does not want any favour from anybody, Nair asserted.

CM, Ramesh responsible for Ganesh’s exit from cabinet

Nair said NSS has disowned KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and does not want him to come to Changanassery for discussions. He said the KPCC president’s actions reflect his slavish mentality to chief minister Oommen Chandy. Nair said the recent political dramas which resulted in the resignation of Kerala forest minister Ganesh Kumar was directed by chief minister Oommen Chandy himself. NSS had asked KPCC president and Chief Minister to take initiatives to solve the issue in Kerala Congress (B). They should have called Balakrishna Pillai, Chairman of KC (B) and his son Ganesh and helped to sort out the issues in party and family. But it seems they used the opportunity to worsen the situation with the motive of ousting Ganesh from ministry and getting the post for Congress, Nair said. He said Ganesh should be reinstated as minister.

Divorces shoot up among Nairs as family values take a beating

The high profile divorce case involving former Kerala forest minister KB Ganesh Kumar and his wife Yamini Thankachy has been the main story of all televisions channels and newspapers in Kerala in March, and first week of April, 2013. The dramatic reporting was enjoyed by the public and for the political rivals of Ganesh it was an unexpected weapon to finish him. But lost in the din and bustle of the mudslinging is a painful truth. One more powerful Hindu Nair family in South Kerala is going to disintegrate.

Ganesh’s is not an isolated case in Kerala. More and more families are breaking up for reasons ranging from petty ones to serious ones. Available statistics prove that Hindus, especially Nairs bear the brunt. Kerala has the highest divorce rate in the country according to a recent report in Deccan Chronicle. A report appeared in the paper points out that 38, 231 divorce cases filed across 18 family courts in the state last year. Hindu majority southern districts are far ahead of Muslim dominated Northern districts in divorce rate and among Southern districts Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam with a significant number of Nairs top. In fact 10, 243 divorce cases were filed in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam in 2012 which is 33 per cent of the total divorce cases in Kerala.

Failure of NSS in inculcating family values

It is almost clear that Nair dominated areas are witnessing a spree of divorces and Nair organizations including NSS have failed to do anything to inculcate values in Nair families and cement ties. While Christians have the powerful church to mediate in family issues, NSS as a social organization has failed to do anything to build character among Nair youth. Divorce rate among Muslims is on the lower side in Kerala as solid faith in Islam and tightly knit society gives little room for disruptive elements to destroy families.

Let us compare example of issues faced by Ganesh Kumar, Kunhalikkutty, P.J Kurien and PJ Joseph powerful leaders who had faced similar adultery allegations. While the allegation broke up the family of Ganesh, Kunhalikkutty, Kurien and Joseph saved themselves with the support of their family. I am not supporting adultery, but is divorce the only solution when a couple face trouble. Many times allegation of adultery is being raised to facilitate quick divorce. Shouldn’t a person be given chance to reform? What about the rights of children whose parents undergo divorce?

Among celebrity couples in Nair community actresses Urvashi, Kalpana and Kalaranjini have divorced or going through divorce proceedings. In Thiruvananthapuram town among Nair upper middle class families according to reliable sources divorce rate is over 50 per cent which is shocking.

All these point to the fact that a social dispute settling mechanism is absent among Nairs in Kerala while active among Christian and Muslim communities. Nair couples going for divorce for silly issues forget the fact that it is not two individuals alone who suffer from divorce. Whole families involving aged in laws, children brothers and sisters and even friends will have to share the impact of their decision. Marriage is a divine bond and family is a divine institution to help humanity progress.

Absence of religious education among Nairs

While Sunday schools teach Christian children Christian values, Madrasas teach Muslim children values in Islam. For Hindus, especially Nairs there are no institutions to teach the importance of values to children. This leaves Nair children vulnerable to ideological brainwash by political parties and so called progressive and secular groups which try to destroy Hindu society by making use of existing laws selectively. These groups convince youth that respecting elders, helping each other in family in times of crisis are all unwanted obscurantist ideas. Youth who imbibe this culture slowly separates themselves from family and many cannot identify even their relatives. They have no faith in anything and will quarrel among themselves.

Often in divorcing couples in Hindu families, family is a place where they can express all their frustration without getting retaliation. They fail to realize that after divorce they will be more vulnerable to outside attack when they will have none else for support.

Hindu Munnani Kerala meet calls for Hindu vote bank

Kerala state meet 2013 of Hindu Munnani which concluded at Thiruvananthapuram on April 6 has called for creating a vote bank of Hindus to end neglect by the government.

Ramagopalan, founder of Hindu Munnai in Tamil Nadu who inaugurated the delegates’ meeting said even during the rule of Dravida parties in Tamil Nadu when Hindus united they were forced to accept many demands of Hindus there. If Hindus in Tamil Nadu can prove that point, Kerala Hindus could do it more effectively, said Ramagopalan.

Ramagopalan pointed out that Hindu resurgence in Tamil Nadu occurred in Kanyakumari district. Kanyakumari is in fact a Hindu minority district in Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that during Hindu resurgence in Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha was forced to bring in a law banning religious conversion. However later the law was repealed under pressure from minorities.

Ramagopalan noted that the industrial town of Tirupur in Tamil Nadu which was once a communist fortress is now a saffron fortress. People have realized that patriotism has disappeared from regional parties and they are realizing pride in Hinduism, said Ramagopalan. He said Hindus of Tamil Nadu had effectively thwarted the efforts of Christians to transform Kanyakumari as Kanyamary and Conversion of scheduled castes to Islam. He added that the move of Karunanidhi lead state govt to review its stand on Ram Sethu.

Around one lakh Hindus participated in a rally held on the occasion marking the conclusion of the meeting. VHP leader Asok Singhal inaugurated the valedictory meeting.

Hindu Unity in Kerala not far off: Hindu Aikya Vedi meet

The 10^th Kerala state conference of Hindu Aikya Vedi (Hindu Joint Council) which began at Thiruvananthpuram on April 4 noted that vote bank politics practiced by political parties in the state has resulted in a peculiar situation in which organized religions are cornering all benefits from government.

Officials and politicians are afraid to speak for the welfare of Hindu community. Those who speak for Hindus are being branded as fascists and communalists and this discourages many from speaking for the cause of Hindus in public, noted different speakers.

Swami Viviktananda Saraswathi, Kerala state head of Chinmaya Mission noted that like the British who ruled India by the policy of divide and rule, present day politicians are ruling the country dividing Hindu society and making them fight each other. But the day when all castes among Hindus unite is not far off and signs of Hindu unity are evident. This is a welcome sign and a warning to those who thrive by exploiting Hindus, noted Swami.

Swami pointed out that Hindus had been open minded and had accepted noble ideas from all streams of thought. While Hindus tried to enrich their religion through knowledge, others tried to increase the number of followers, he noted. Pointing out the dangers in the current lopsided demographic change in Kerala, Swami said at the current rate it is likely that Hindus might become a minority in Kerala.

He said he was happy to see leaders of different Hindu castes at Hindu Aikya Vedi meet. Leaders of different forward castes, backward communites and scheduled castes and tribes in Kerala were present at the meeting. The meeting will conclude with a rally and public meeting on April 6.

Ganesh Kumar’s resignation: NSS refuses to be fooled by Congress

Nair Service Society’s firm stand that it does not have the responsibility of solving issues in UDF arising out of resignation of forest minister KB Ganesh Kumar on April , 2013 has sent a clear signal to Congress leadership in Kerala that it cannot be fooled anymore.

NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair minced no words when he said Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala are responsible for the present situation in UDF and it is for them to deal with it. He pointed out that the practice of approaching NSS whenever there is an issue and forgetting the help of NSS as soon as crisis is over won’t be accepted anymore.

According to a report in The Hindu, Sukumaran Nair was very clear. “Matters in the United Democratic Front (UDF) have worsened beyond repair. People have lost faith in the ruling front. The relation between NSS and UDF leadership too has chilled. We believe that the situation in the UDF is beyond repair,” Nair said curtly. It was negligence on the part of CM and KPCC president to intervene in Ganesh’s issue and resolve it that pushed things to this far, added Nair.

Congress plan to ride piggyback on NSS

Ever since the resignation of K B Ganesh Kumar, son of former Kerala minister and NSS director board member R Balakrishna Pillai belonging to Nair community, some of the Nair MLAs in the Congress were getting ready to become ministers on the pretext that a NSS would demand that a Nair MLA be made minister in place of Ganesh and so one among them be made minister. As Kerala Congress (B) to which Ganesh belongs does not have any other MLA, Congress can legitimately usurp the seat.

Sukumaran nair rejected such reports saying that NSS is not interested in the selection of successor of Ganesh. Cosmetic changes in UDF won’t do any good, he is reported to have said.

The ploy behind the news reports that NSS would demand a Nair minister in place of Ganesh was to enable Congress takeover a portfolio of a UDF constituent in the pretext of NSS demand. Any bad repercussion from the act could be put on the shoulders of NSS while benefits from getting a portfolio could be enjoyed by Congress. This had been a time tested plan of Congress leadership ever since NSS disbanded its political party NDP.

Many Congress leaders had convinced Congress high command earlier to make them MLAs, MPs and ministers in Kerala and centre on the pretext that giving them positions is essential to keep NSS in good spirits and ensure Congress’ victory in Kerala. NSS leadership had fallen easy prey to the political manipulations of these modern Chanakyas. Such Congress ministers never did anything for the general welfare of Nairs. Their help to NSS was cleverly confined to giving some minor favours to NSS leaders individually. Once they got the position, these leaders tried to play secular card and would distance themselves from genuine demands of Hindu Nairs.

By discarding overtures of Congress, Sukumaran Nair has become the first general secretary of NSS in recent times to call a spade a spade and risk criticisms from Christian and Muslim community leaders in Kerala for standing up for the genuine demands of Nairs.

NSS mediation and political conspiracy

In the issue of solving issues between Ganesh and his father, Sukumaran Nair said he had intervened in the issue twice and then realized that Ganesh is getting outside political support to scuttle the peace initiative. Realising this I backed out, said Nair.

Nair’s words have a major significance. Outside groups with vested interests have succeeded in splitting the powerful Nair family of Balakrishna Pillai which upholds the secular tradition of Kerala Congress in Kerala. Kerala Congress, a non Congress regional Party in Kerala had equal participation of Hindu Nairs and Syrian Christians. There had been efforts to sideline Pillai in Kerala Congress and he himself had said it. Now the effort is to totally destroy Kerala Congress (B) and only Christian dominated Kerala Congress (Mani group) will be in picture in future. Ganesh had credentials of a minister with integrity and he as a forest minister had taken strong steps to evict encroachers from Nelliampathy forests (who mostly belong to one minority community). This had irked many people and no wonder communal and vested interest groups have ganged up and successfully split his family and ousted him from ministry.