Changing Kerala politics; What will Nairs and Ezhavas do?

Kerala Politics, Nairs and fifth minister to Muslim League in Kerala

Despite the veil of secularism, Kerala's political fronts, have always been controlled by two prominent 'minority' groups of Christian Church and Indian Union Muslim League and to a lesser extent by major Hindu caste groups of Nairs and Ezhavas. While the Congress lead United Democratic Front has been open in their alliances with caste groups, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) lead Left Democratic Front (LDF) preferred secret understandings. Despite the influence of these communal forces in Kerala politics, there had always been a balance of communal interests and resultant peace in Kerala and mutual respect.

But the current developments in Kerala politics following so called minorities gaining upper hand in Kerala politics seems to have upset the social equilibrium in Kerala. These political changes have their root in the changing demography of Kerala, influx of foreign money especially from the Gulf and waning influence of politcal ideologies like socialism, communism and Gandhism among present day Kerala youth.

History of communal politics in Kerala

While the Congress lead front's support used to come from Christians, Nairs and Muslim population, Left front's support base was a group consisting of Ezhavas and scheduled castes. A section of economically backward Nairs and Christians also used to support Marxists. Muslim support to left groups has always been minimal generally. Though this is the basic truth, it should be forgotten that the leadership of CPI (M) and its parliamentary face was constituted by upper caste Hindus (Mostly Nairs) the policies of the party were pro-minority and backward community; a complex situation indeed.

Till 1990's Nairs constituted a major chunk of leadership both in Congress and CPI (M). In a way it had helped Nair community in the sense that Nair leaders often helped many individuals belonging to nair community. But they did not help community as a whole. It should also be noted that individuals of Nair community got help not because of any deliberate strategy of Nair leaders. The leaders helped their acquaintances and friends among whom naturally there were a lot of Nairs and indirectly Nairs have benefited

Impact on policies.

But the policies of governments that ruled Kerala from the time of formation till now harmed interests of Nairs in particular and Hindus in general.  Nairs never gained the benefits of job reservation as they are considered upper castes. Nairs lost their land where they cultivated food grains following land reforms. Minorities who owned large tracts of land where they cultivated cash crops named them as plantations and escaped from land reforms. Sections of minorities who were traders were not at all affected by land reforms or socialist reforms. Even trade unions which showed militancy in areas where Hindu traders flourished were meek at minority dominated markets.

Further, Muslims in Kerala never faced any discrimination on the basis of their religion got the tag of backward community and gained reservation benefits. It was a mockery of all norms that Muslims in Kerala were tagged as backward. The fact that normally Muslims in Kerala were called 'Muthalali' (meaning the one who handled wealth) in central Kerala and Sahib in southern Kerala shows they had much social respect and were socially forward. The development of Gulf countries and migration of Muslim community members to the GCC brought them enormous wealth and currently they are economically much better off than poor Hindus.

While the communists branded Nairs as bourgeois based on the fact that they owned considerable tracts of land before 1950s, and unleashed propaganda that they were responsible for all social ills, Leftists dare not brand minorities who own major chunk of wealth in Kerala as Capitalists. They are afraid of it.

By their unity, minorities always managed to safeguard their interests in Kerala and politics was a tool in their hands for the purpose. Hindus took ideology to their heart and lived for it but other communities don't allow ideologies to influence their personal or religious life. Earlier, minority groups in Kerala cleverly managed to make Nair leaders lead them and do all favors for them. Many Nair leaders did not recognise the intention of minorities and fell into their trap. Policy decisions of Kerala government always favored minorities while there was no opposition from Hindus.

Fifth minister to IUML and resultant controversy

Now if that is the situation why is the current grudge of NSS and SNDP over granting a fifth minister to Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala?

Here is the complex answer. Till 1990s minorities allowed Nair leaders (also read Hindu leaders) steer Kerala's political parties and state administration and do things for them. The Hindu leadership was satisfied with the leftovers thrown at them by organised minorities and the Nair and Ezhava masses were blissfully ignorant.

By 1990's situation changed. A cleverly organised coup saw K. Karunakaran falling from the grace of Congress High Command and the unquestioned rise of minority leaders in the Congress. It seems that certain organised minority groups decided that there is no need for a Hindu face to get things done and now we can do things which we need. Thereafter chief ministers of Kerala from Congress have been A.K. Antony and Oommen Chandy.

Present problem in Kerala is the result of changing demography. Currently in Kerala Hindus have become minority. The number of Muslim majority assembly seats have increased and so naturally the respresentation of that group in Kerala assembly is high. Therefore they demanded more ministers and got it. In the next 20 years Kerala's demography will undergo more changes and Muslim League is likely to demand the post of chief minister in a UDF rule. In the left front rule also representation of minorities in the leadership will have to be increased.

Christian leadership in Kerala which had allied with Nairs in the past may not do that in future. It would be better for them to tie up with IUML and share the benefits. When the Hindu community is divided NSS and SNDP leadership cannot get much.

Now those leaders are in real panic. They are likely to lose their influence almost completely in the next two decades. They have already started feeling the heat. Nair massess have already lost the race. Ezhava leadership was earlier wooed by IUML for political reasons. Now changing demography means IUML does not need their support also. So SNDP leadership is also likely to lose.

Alarm bells have already rung at Changanassery and Kanichukulamgara. The NSS and SNDP leadership have woken up. But it seems to be seen whether they can do anything now. They are already behind in numbers and money power. The need of the hour is far sighted policies. This can help them to survive at least. But regaining past glory seems almost impossible. Anyway NSS and SNDP needs to analyse the social and political situation of Kerala immediately and chalk out a strategy to face adverse social changes and ensure social justice. Or else their all out defeat will come quicker than they expect. 

Narayana Panicker and NSS an impartial analysis

The new of death of NSS president P.K. Narayana Panicker who was better known as the general secretary of NSS till last year, is the headline of channel news on February 29. This will be a page one news, perhaps headline of all dailies in Kerala on March 1, 2012.

Death is a time when everybody is supposed to praise the deceased. Even those who troubled the deceased when he was alive will shower praises after death. They will say the death has created a gap in social life which cannot be filled.

However this write-up will try to impartially assess Narayana Panicker, called respectfully as Panicker Sir by his admirers. Panicker became treasurer of NSS in 1977. He became the general secretary of NSS in 1983, December following the then secretary Kidangoor Gopalakrishna Pillai vacating the position continued for around 27 years.

Kindangoor, who had been called Kidangoorji by followers resigned to become high commissioner of India in Singapore. Kidangoor when he returned to Kerala after eight years tried to remove Panicker from general secretary post but had to eat a humble pie. Panicker had grown all powerful in those years aided by the Bhishmacharya of Kerala politics K. Karunakaran. But he moved away from Karunakaran later and is said to have turned down requests for help from Karunakaran.

Panciker's hallmark was his simplicity. His life and work remained simple. This won him many admirers. He always stayed away from controversies unlike leaders of some other communities in Kerala who love controversies. But the negative side was fear of controversies often lead to inaction.

During his long innings as head of NSS, the organisation started few new institutions. But Panicker believed that he had helped to preserve the organisation's assets. His opponents point out that while NSS and Christian Church owned the largest number of educational institutions till around 1990, Currently NSS is way back compared to others. This is because, SNDP, Muslim organisations and Christian institutions started many new But NSS started only a few.

Though many social organisations in Kerala started Medical Colleges after 1990s NSS under Panicker could not. Panicker was of the opinion that it is not viable to start Medical Colleges.

Panciker filed a lot of cases in courts demanding economic reservation (reservation based on income rather than caste. Panicker claimed that the order of Supreme Court of India implementing creamy layer concept (which excludes those backward community people with very high income from reservation) as a victory of NSS.

However those who opposed him point that though creamy layer is implemented it does not mean that economically backward from so called upper castes would not be able to gain benefits from creamy layer. The creamy layer concept insists that those vacancies arising out of excluding upper strata of backward communities should be kept aside and be filled when eligible candidates from backward communities themselves apply. Narayana panicker never replied to this.

NSS had floated a political party NDP in 1980s. It had MLAs in Kerala assembly once and ministers. Narayana Panicker in around 1994 decided to disband NDP. According to Panicker there was no benefit to the community from NDP. However, his opponents said Panicker's inability to control party MLAs was the reason of disbanding the party. Anyway some Congress leaders used this opportunity to build their career.

Narayana Panicker once teamed up with SNDP leader Vellappally Natesan to form a Hindu pressure group but swiftly backed out. While Panicker's followers accuse Vellappally of subverting the alliance, his critics note that here also Panicker's inability to work in a broad set up lead to collapse. There had also been accusations that the some Congress leaders played a key role in subverting the alliance as they feared the formation of a Hindu pressure group in Kerala.

Narayana Panicker who is said have the tacit support of Hindutva organisations in the beginning distanced himself away from RSS and BJP when he became powerful. He was mainly responsible for maintaining NSS as a secular organisation and has been admired by people from other communities for this. But sections among Hindus point out that NSS did not stand for Hindu cause under Panicker and unknowingly served the cause of other communities.

Panicker was the man who drafted the idea of equidistance from ruling, opposition fronts in Kerala. This way he avoided criticisms from both fronts by maintaining his own type of neutrality. Though on a personal level it won him admirers, it is doubtful whether Nair community benefited from the policy. Often in policy making governments in Kerala neglected nairs. However NSS under Panicker always claimed victory.

Panicker's interaction with media was never friendly. He was always hostile to negative questions and would get angry and could not handle media tactfully. Though he was a person of integrity he was not a man of action. He lacked the broad vision to make NSS grow beyond the border of Kerala. During his time the Nair community did not gain much. Institutions of NSS did not progress much under him.

The most fatal blow to Nair community, ie approval of the idea of reservation in appointments to Devaswom board occurred when Panicker was NSS general secretary. Devaswom board was one place where Nair community members could compete and win as many posts as possible based on merit.

Wikipedia page on Nairs defame Nair Community

Wikipedia page on Nairs includes all sort of derogatory opinion on Nair Community in Kerala. It seems that somebody with ulterior motives has edited the Nairs Page of Wikipedia to defame Nair Community. There is a deliberate policy from some part to destablise Nairs. The aim it seems to be  destruction of the community eventually.

According to the Wikipedia Nairs page Nairs are not a single caste but a category of castes. This is seemingly an innocent opinion but is aimed at dividing Nair community. Nairs have different sub divisions like other castes in India and Kerala.

For example Brahmins have different sub sects in Kerala. Ezhavas and scheduled castes in Kerala also have different sub divisions. In earlier times, when a caste grew there was a trend among sub sects to claim superiority and eventually develop as another caste in extreme cases. Reformers  of different castes have dismissed sub sects and united their castes in 19 th century and early 20th century in Kerala. Sub castes are true to Nairs also but like any other caste in Kerala.  It is not like different castes uniting to form one caste. The fact is a caste when it grows numerically gets divided into sub castes.

Their internal behavior is markedly different in Northern and Southern Kerala, according to Wikipedia. This is an absolutely foolish opinion. Nairs both in South and North have similar customs in all their major social and personal lives. Of course this is in tune with customs and of Hindu community of which Nairs are a part. 

Another misinterpretation of fact is Nair women especially from Central Kerala bearing legitimate children with several husbands.



Latest findings appearing in Nairs page in Wikipedia a nair hater has quoted one S.N. Sadasivan to emphasis e his opinion that the word Nair did not originate from the Sanskrit word Nayaka which means leader. Who is S.N. Sadasivan to say this? What are his credentials? He is not known to be an expert historian and his expertise is in Public Administration. Incidentally Mr. Sadasivan is an ezhava by caste and follower of Sree Narayana Guru according to Wikipedia. Has Mr. Sadasivan said so? It needs to be checked. Or is this a ploy to create social unrest by pitching Nairs against Ezhavas by selectively quoting Sadasivan?

The most outrageous opinion is quoting a so called Brahmin work Kerala-jatyachara-nirnayam, that  the term nair was bestowed upon three Naga girls by a Brahmin after an image of a dog ('nai') they created was brought to life and became the escort of Ayyappa.

This is absolutely trash and aims at abusing Nairs. Nairs need to protest against this heinous attempt to defame the community.

Magnanimous Nair leaders

Nairs formed the back bone of orthodoxy in Kerala. It is true that at a time (say roughly from 15th century to early 20 th century) they imbibed the value system of Brahmins and a section of them oppressed sections of working class who were from lower castes.

But enlightened sections of Nairs took the lead to reform social ills like caste based discrimination including untouchability. Nair reformers gave all support to backward community leaders when they demanded end of discrimination.

Ayyankali, the leader of Pulaya scheduled caste community was helped in his efforts by Nairs. It is also true that certain Nair feudal lords attacked him
Govinda Pillai the feudal lord of Venganoor in whose farms Ayyankali's parents worked helped him.
"Ayyan had a benevolent landlord in Govinda Pillai. The landlord cleared jungles to make fields with the help of Ayyan. Later he gifted a small plot to Ayyan. Land owned by a Pulayan created unease among the landed," notes ambedkar.org pages (link http://www.ambedkar.org/books/AYYAN-KALI.htm#_Toc503779931)

Another notable Nair who helped him was Sadananda Swamikal, who was a spiritual leader who worked ardently for giving the scheduled castes their rights.

Sree Narayana Guru was taught in his childhood days by Kummampaillil Raman Pillai Asan, a nair Guru. At the time when backward castes were kept at a distance by orthodox nairs, another Nair came forward boldly to teach them. Young Nanu (who later became Narayana Guru) learnt Sanskrit and traditional knowledge from there. Chattampi Swamikal, who was born in Nair Community had been his spiritual mentor. Interestingly among Narayana Guru's direct disciples Nairs were many. Guru liked Swamy Sathyavrathan the most among his disciples.

Once Guru said Sathyavrathan (who was formerly Ayyappan Pillai) had the least pride in caste among those whom I met.

Mannathu Padmanabhan, founder of Nair Service Society had always supported movements against caste oppression. He lead the Savarna Jatha to support the right of lower castes to enter the road beside Vaikom temple. He actively participated in Vaikom and Guruvayoor Satyagraha organised for asserting rights of lowers castes. K. Kelappan a true patriot and first president of Nair Service Society lead the Guruvayoor Satyagraha for the rights of backward castes.

While all caste organisations demand rights for themselves Nairs demanded economic reservation which will benefit economically lower class from all castes and religions.

Perhaps magnanimity of Nairs went to become suicidal. Irrespective of their contribution against religious and caste oppression Nairs were often portrayed as villans. While every other community in Keala received some sops from different governments, Nairs got none.

Nair politicians who won on community votes also did not ever support even legitimate demands of the community. Perhaps it is time nairs did a soul search. let them continue to work for others but remember the saying "Charity Begins at Home."