Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 21
Vellappally Natesan of the SNDP Yogam and G. Sukumaran Nair of the Nair Service Society are once again making headlines as efforts to unite the two dominant Hindu social organisations in Kerala gain momentum.
Sukumaran Nair on Wednesday welcomed the SNDP Yogam to Perunna, the NSS headquarters, asserting that the proposed SNDP-NSS unity is "certain" and dismissing political apprehensions surrounding the move.
"They are welcome to Perunna. When Tushar Vellappally comes, he will be received like a son," Sukumaran Nair said, emphasising that the NSS will uphold its foundational values while formalising the alliance.
He clarified that the unity initiative reflects his personal conviction and would be presented to the NSS Director Board and the apex decision-making body for official approval.
This is not the first time the two organisations have attempted a broad collaboration.
Between 2012 and 2014, Vellappally and Sukumaran Nair spearheaded efforts to form a "Hindu Grand Alliance", aiming to unite the NSS and SNDP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
However, the attempt ultimately failed due to disputes over the proposed Devaswom Recruitment Board and fundamental ideological differences, particularly regarding caste-based reservation policies.
Following the collapse, relations between the two organisations remained strained for over a decade, with Sukumaran Nair openly declaring in 2014 that unity was impossible as long as Vellappally led the SNDP.
Sukumaran Nair on Wednesday stressed the broader social imperative, saying the lack of unity among Hindus posed challenges, often exacerbated by political interference.
"Both the NSS and SNDP are influential communities within Hindu society. Their unity is the need of the times," he said, rejecting claims that the move was politically motivated or designed to benefit any party.
He also spoke firmly on accountability in the Sabarimala gold heist case, stating that the guilty must be sent to jail and punished severely.
Vellappally Natesan confirmed that a meeting with Sukumaran Nair would take place soon to chart the next steps, with Tushar Vellappally (his son) overseeing ongoing discussions.
Speaking after an SNDP Yogam meeting in Alappuzha on Wednesday, Vellappally Natesan said organisational backing for the unity initiative was strong and that criticisms from political quarters were unwarranted.
With both leaders publicly aligning their positions and lessons learnt from the past decade, the SNDP-NSS alliance now appears poised to reshape social cohesion among Kerala's Hindu communities, potentially impacting the state's socio-political landscape.
One factor that appears to have accelerated the move is the leaders' shared antipathy towards Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan. With elections round the corner, it remains to be seen how the emerging alignment will play out politically.
- IANS
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