KOTTAYAM: Continuing its tirade against the LDF government over its adamant stand on the Sabarimala issue, the NSS on Sunday alleged the government was trying to re-establish a caste divide in the state.
Coming down on the meeting of progressive social and community organisations convened by the government the other day, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said the government organised the meeting in the name of the renaissance, only after it failed in its attempt to impose its one-sided decisions at the all-party meeting, convened by the Chief Minister. According to him, the attempt of the government to differentiate ‘savarna’ (upper caste) and ‘avarna’ (lower caste), would ultimately create a caste-based divide in society.
“When the government’s attempt to implement the Supreme Court order on the woman’s entry issue failed to yield any results, it is now trying to build a caste-based divide in society by raising upper-caste hegemony as the reason for everything,” he said.
The NSS general secretary said the effort of the stalwarts of the renaissance helped sweep away unethical practices, superstition and discrimination based on caste and religion in society. “Anybody can see there were clear political motives behind the government move to resolve the Sabarimala issue by triggering a caste-based divide,” said Sukumaran Nair.
Moreover, what is the connection between renaissance and young women’s entry into Sabarimala, he asked. “While renaissance activities eliminated unethical practices and discrimination, young women’s entry in Sabarimala is based on rituals and practices, as well as faith in God. They are not correlated. Realising these facts, the government should have come forth to protect the faith of devotees by convincing the court,” he said. Not only did the government not do that, but it also prevented the Travancore Devaswom Board from doing so. “Hence, the government was inviting such an order from the court. It would not be wrong to say the government is trying to impose atheism under the cover of the Supreme Court order,” he said.
If the government thinks they can make political gains by creating a savarna-avarna divide and flaming caste sentiments among people, they are mistaken, said Sukumaran Nair.