Nair-Ezhava unity in Kerala: an idea whose time has come

February 7th

thanks to dr. kalyanaraman, but i do believe this saju person from the indian express is a jerk for he insults both ezhavas and nairs below.

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Here is a recipe for a policy formulation, for forging political
networks based on hindu ideology. Hindu polity: Nair-Ezhava model of
unity just forged in Kerala; it is breath-taking. It has to succeed.

It is natural for a commie to call this a disguised attempt to stoke
hindu fascism. I say this is a model which should be replicated all
over Bharat to achieve hindu unity to reach the goal of hindu rashtra.

I am appending two reports: one from Deccan Herald of 12 January which
announced the sensational move to unite Nair Service Society (NSS) and
Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) of the Ezhavas.

This is comparable to the oncoming LJS-BSP-BJP-VHP union of hindu
parties. That will be a great day when Mayawati, Paswan, Uma Bharati
and Ashok Singhal jointly pray in front of Ayodhya Sri Rama Mandiram,
just as SNDP Yogam general secraty Vellappali Natesn and his NSS
counterpart PK Narayana Panicker did with their hands folded and in
front of a hindu temple. (See the photograph on page IV, Focus
Section of New Indian Express, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2005; this is a photo
to be treasured as the model for achieving hindu polity.)

This is Narayana Guru's vision at work even now. This has to be Adi
S'ankara's vision of a united hindu samaj.

Hindu fascism? Call it what you want, comrade, you are becoming
irrelevant in a hindu nation. You can invent as many -isms as you
want, call yourselves fascism with a human face and yearn for a dead
comintern now being led only by a military dictatorship in China. You
can't even talk a hindu language and hark back to Engels, Marx and
Lenin. Proletariat is dead. Long live the civilization.

It has to be a hindu social formation to take on the frauds called the
commies and sycophants called the congresspersons -- forged on the
footsteps of hindu mandirams, with folded hands in prayer to the
paramaatman. Bring on the harijans. Let them lead the hindu charge.

Dhanyavaadah.

Kalyanaraman

Communities\' unity move creates stir in Kerala

THIRUVANATHAPURAM, DHNS:

So what is all the brouhaha about the unity moves by the forward
community Nairs\' and the powerful Ezhavas\' in Kerala, which have been
creating media headlines even alongside the tsunami disaster? They
arise from an ideological agreement reached recently between top
leaders of the Nair Service Society and the Ezhava outfit Sree
Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam which threatens to overturn
the contours of power politics in the State.

Ezhavas\', the socially and educationally advanced among the backward
communities, constitute close to 40 per cent of Hindus in Kerala.
Nairs\' are closely behind and together they account for over 70 per
cent of Hindus. "Minorities in the country are cornering all benefits
in the name of secularism guaranteed by Constitution. These organised
lots are forcing political leadership and governments to fall in
line," says Mr Vellapalli Natesan, the Yogam general secretary.

Echoing similar feelings, NSS general secretary P K Narayana Panikker
felt that the differences between the two communities on various
issues including reservation were narrowing down. "The economic
criterion for reservation has been accepted by the Union Government.
Now what is needed is a Constitutional amendment," he said. Mr
Panikker also urged the State Government to inquire into the foreign
funds received by minority communities and alleged that illegal assets
were being amassed by minorities by misusing the constitutional
provisions on minority protection.

Meanwhile, minority outfits in the State have expressed apprehensions.
The Kerala region Latin Catholic Council has decided to chalk out
strategies to overcome the situation arising out of the proposed unity
moves of the majority communities.

Though both the NSS and SNDP have resolved to dissociate from the BJP
which they see as a party interested only in consolidating Hindu
votes, Muslim organisations have dismissed the unity move as a
disguised attempt to stoke Hindu fascism.

http://67.18.142.206/deccanherald/jan122005/n26.asp


Nair-Ezhava bhai-bhai?
Friday February 4 2005 12:57 IST

M T Saju

SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappalli Natesan (left) and his NSS
counterpart P K Narayana Panicker

In Kerala, two major communities recently decided to unite and work
for the welfare of the society. One is the Nair Service Society (NSS),
the upper caste Nair organisation and the other, the Sree Narayana
Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) of the Ezhavas — the OBC. When
looked at from a distance, it seems a welcome step. But as you look at
it closely, you can see layers of vested interests behind this
Nair-Ezhava axis.

The Nairs constitute one of the dominant 'upper castes' in the Hindu
hierarchy of Kerala. The Ezhavas, on the other hand, are the most
influential caste group. Both have different agendas, especially when
it comes to issues like reservation. But will things change with the
two joining hands? For example, will the NSS allow a Nair boy to marry
an Ezhava or a Dalit girl? The answer's an emphatic no.

So, it is very clear that caste still plays a major role in Kerala's
society. So what was the urgency for the unity without settling
differences between the castes? "The minority communities are becoming
dominant in the state and are swallowing the majority communities, who
today feel they have to either convert or commit suicide. To survive
they have to unite. The Nair-Ezhava unity is the first step. But the
idea is to unite all the Hindus, from Namboodiris to the adivasis,"
says Vellappalli Natesan, general secretary of the SNDP Yogam.

NSS general secretary Narayana Panicker, however, blames the different
governments in Kerala for the majority communities being sidelined.
We are suffering because of the irresponsible attitude of the UDF and
LDF governments. The Christians and Muslims have their representatives
in the government but when it comes to Hindus, there is no one to
speak for us. So we have to come together," he says.

The NSS was formed as a community service organisation by Mannathu
Padmanabhan, a social reformer. It did bring about many reforms among
the Nairs. The Nair Regulation Act of 1926 (initiated by the NSS)
sought to end the decadent system of matriarchy and the outdated joint
family institution. Many educational and medical institutions were
also established by the NSS throughout Kerala.

In the case of Ezhavas, it was the inspiration provided by Sree
Narayana Guru, the revolutionary social reformer of Kerala which
prompted Dr Palpu and other associates to establish the SNDP Yogam, an
organisation to work for the abolition of discrimination in the name
of caste, in 1903. In the early 1950s, Ezhava political leader R
Shankar entered into an alliance with the Nair leader Mannathu
Padmanabhan to start a campaign for the "unity of Hindus." They called
it "Hindu Maha Mandalam." This unity didn\'t last and the differences
between the two castes only widened.

The NSS and the SNDP Yogam no longer follow the high ideals of their
visionary founders. Corruption has become deep rooted in both the
organisations. "If the unity happens in the right spirit, it must be
welcomed. But here, the issue is different. (SNDP Yogam general
secretary) Vellappalli Natesan has illegally acquired huge wealth from
the SNDP trust. Enquiry is going on in many cases. The unity drive is
only a trick to divert the attention of the public," says Vidyasagar,
the SNDP Yogam president, who does not get along with his general
secretary, Natesan.

"The upper caste hegemony still dominates the Hindus. If you are going
to keep the Brahmins and adivasis in a single platform, you have to
We are suffering because of the irresponsible attitude of the UDF and
LDF governments. The Christians and Muslims have their representatives
in the government but when it comes to Hindus, there is no one to
speak for us. So we have to come together," he says.

The NSS was formed as a community service organisation by Mannathu
Padmanabhan, a social reformer. It did bring about many reforms among
the Nairs. The Nair Regulation Act of 1926 (initiated by the NSS)
sought to end the decadent system of matriarchy and the outdated joint
family institution. Many educational and medical institutions were
also established by the NSS throughout Kerala.

In the case of Ezhavas, it was the inspiration provided by Sree
Narayana Guru, the revolutionary social reformer of Kerala which
prompted Dr Palpu and other associates to establish the SNDP Yogam, an
organisation to work for the abolition of discrimination in the name
of caste, in 1903. In the early 1950s, Ezhava political leader R
Shankar entered into an alliance with the Nair leader Mannathu
Padmanabhan to start a campaign for the "unity of Hindus." They called
it "Hindu Maha Mandalam." This unity didn't last and the differences
between the two castes only widened.

The NSS and the SNDP Yogam no longer follow the high ideals of their
visionary founders. Corruption has become deep rooted in both the
organisations. "If the unity happens in the right spirit, it must be
welcomed. But here, the issue is different. (SNDP Yogam general
secretary) Vellappalli Natesan has illegally acquired huge wealth from
the SNDP trust. Enquiry is going on in many cases. The unity drive is
only a trick to divert the attention of the public," says Vidyasagar,
the SNDP Yogam president, who does not get along with his general
secretary, Natesan.

"The upper caste hegemony still dominates the Hindus. If you are going
to keep the Brahmins and adivasis in a single platform, you have to
first mentally prepare them for that. The revolution should happen
from the grassroots. But what Vellppalli and Panicker are doing is to
protect their vested interests. By targeting the minorities, they are
trying to communalise things. This will affect the social fabric of
Kerala, where the minority communities, mainly the Christians and
Muslims, form about 45 percent of the total population. If they think
Muslims and Christians are getting more wealthy, it is because of
their progressive mindset. Young Christian women took up the nursing
profession way back in the 70s and were prepared to go abroad. Today
many of them are senior nurses who are getting paid better than the
doctors," he says.

Is any communal force behind this proposed Nair-Ezhava unity? "No way.
If the CPM can join hands with the Congress, why can\'t we? We are not
going to build a temple in Ayodhya, or dream of a Ram Rajya. Our
agenda is different. And it is the need of the hour to unite and
protect all the Hindu communities. We (the Nairs and the Ezhavas) are
Siamese twins, and no one can stop us from coming together," says
Natesan.

Does the NSS have a clear view in this issue? "We have discussed that
matter in the beginning and there won\'t be any political involvement.
We will try to unite in the issues we can. I can\'t tell you more about
this now. We will decide everything in detail in our next meeting
later this month,"says Narayana Panicker.

The Leftists, however, see this as a conspiracy of the saffron forces.
"They are playing communal politics but all such attempts have failed
so far. Nairs or Ezhavas do not cast their votes listening to their
leaders. They vote politically, Left or Right, or whatever. These
people can never set a political agenda for Kerala," says M N Vijayan,
a Leftist commentator.


http://newindpress.com/Sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEV20050204033124&eTitle=Focus&rLink=0" target="_blank">http://newindpress.com/Sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEV20050204033124&eTitle=Focus&rLink=0