Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (IANS) The political standoff between the Congress-led Opposition and influential community organisations in Kerala sharpened on Tuesday with SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan launching a fresh attack on Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and demanding that the Congress national leadership clarify its stand.
In a strongly-worded Facebook post, Vellappally accused Satheesan of publicly targeting the SNDP Yogam and questioned whether his remarks reflected the views of the Congress high command.
Describing Satheesan’s approach as rooted in an “upper-caste feudal mindset,” Vellappally alleged that the Opposition leader had adopted a pattern of directly and indirectly criticising religious and community organisations.
He further asked whether Satheesan’s statements were made with the knowledge of Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who frequently invokes the ideals of Sree Narayana Guru, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, seen as a representative of backward and Dalit sections.
By attacking the SNDP Yogam, Vellappally argued, Satheesan was not merely targeting an organisation founded on Guru’s philosophy but questioning the very reformist legacy associated with it.
The SNDP leader also accused Satheesan of political duplicity, alleging that while he publicly claims to reject the patronage of community leaders, he had spent considerable time at the NSS headquarters and made discreet visits to church forums. He termed this a double standard and said such actions contradicted Satheesan’s stated opposition to communal politics.
Satheesan, however, has stood firm despite coordinated criticism from both the SNDP Yogam and the NSS.
Reiterating his position, the leader said he would not retreat “even an inch” from his stand against communalism and clarified that engaging in dialogue with community leaders does not amount to communal appeasement.
He maintained that his remarks were directed against communal politics, not against any specific organisation.
While there was initial unease within the Congress following the backlash, attempts to mobilise internal opposition to Satheesan appeared to fizzle out quickly.
Senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and K. Muraleedharan publicly backed him, stating that his remarks reflected the position of both the Congress and the UDF.
However, KPCC president Sunny Joseph and UDF convener Adoor Prakash stopped short of offering explicit support, underscoring undercurrents within the party.
The controversy has also altered political alignments.
Following controversial remarks by State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, Satheesan has gained visible support from Muslim organisations, with the Indian Union Muslim League openly backing him.
Even within Samastha (a leading Muslim organisation) which has often leaned towards the Left, dissent has surfaced.
Satheesan has also stepped up efforts to consolidate ties with various Christian denominations.
As the row escalates, it has evolved into a wider debate on politics, leadership authority, and the Congress’ engagement with powerful social organisations — an issue likely to have electoral implications in the months ahead.
–IANS
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