Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan recently sought to downplay the ongoing protests led by the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The protests stem from a controversy surrounding an alleged gold ‘theft’ at the revered Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.
Speaking to reporters in Alappuzha, Natesan contended that these anti-government demonstrations, which demand the resignations of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prasanth, merely expose the Opposition’s ‘political vulnerabilities’ in what is shaping up to be a critical election year. He claimed the Opposition lacks any substantial issues to genuinely challenge the government.
Natesan further suggested that the Congress’s ‘faith protection’ marches, currently traversing the State, are unlikely to resonate with voters. He believes the electorate is far more concerned with pressing issues like livelihood, employment, social welfare, and overall development.
He emphasized that the Opposition’s anti-government campaign is driven purely by electoral politics, rather than any genuine concern for ‘faith protection’ or the development of Sabarimala. According to Natesan, the Congress intends to keep the Sabarimala issue alive until the local body elections, as they have little else of substance to present to the public.
Natesan also dismissed accusations that the government deliberately organized the Global Ayyappa Sanghamam in September at Pampa to curry favor with Hindu voters. He clarified that the government purposefully avoided injecting politics into the meeting, aiming instead to foster broad consensus among all stakeholders for Sabarimala’s holistic development. He noted that the government had even tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to bring Opposition parties on board for this initiative.
Calls for a Unified Devaswom Board
Natesan proposed that, ideally, Kerala should operate with a single Devaswom Board. This unified body, he suggested, should be headed by an IAS officer serving as chief executive officer, with direct accountability to both the High Court and the government.
He further elaborated that the government ought to establish this supreme Devaswom governing body along the lines of existing institutions like the Spices Board or the Coir Board. Under this model, political appointees would serve as chairpersons or directors, not as executive officers, a structure he believes would effectively curb corruption.
On School Appointments
Regarding school appointments, Natesan highlighted that the Supreme Court had granted the Nair Service Society (NSS) permission to make appointments in its aided schools without needing to adhere to the 4% reservation for persons with disabilities in the private general education sector.
He criticized the government for failing to extend this same relief, obtained by the NSS, to other community managements. Natesan pointed out that the government seemingly ‘relented submissively’ when various Bishop organizations rallied for similar considerations.
Criticism of Transport Minister
Finally, Natesan also voiced strong criticism against Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, accusing him of displaying ‘imperious’ behavior towards KSRTC workers.
He described the Minister’s ‘impetuous and contemptuous behavior’ toward employees and government officials as a regression to an ‘oppressive and decadent feudal era’ that should rightfully remain relegated to the annals of history.