CHANGANASSERY: Banking on a strategy to sharpen its proven tool of pressure tactics and keep political parties on the leash, the NSS has announced that it will continue with its equidistance policy even when taking a studied stance on various issues and will move ahead with an agitational course for realising various demands, including economic reservation for the poor in non-reservation category communities.
Addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the budget session of the NSS at Perunna on Saturday, general secretary P K Narayana Panicker and assistant secretary G Sukumaran Nair said that the recent Lok Sabha elections had proved beyond doubt that without diluting the equidistance policy, the Nair community was capable to become a vote bank. The NSS is keen to apply pressure to achieve its objective of social justice for all, they added but maintained that there is no need for making a shift in the policy, but will look into it whenever a situation emerges, warranting it.
Blasting the central leadership of the Congress again, both leaders reiterated that injustice was meted out to the Nair community without considering that the latter was a key factor which ensured a shining victory for the Congress and the UDF in the state in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
“Even the LDF and the KPCC president has admitted it. The discrimination and arrogance of the Congress central leadership against the Nair community have reached a crescendo.
It should be put to an end,” they felt.
“Whether it is nominating Vayalar Ravi to the Rajya sAbha even when he was willing to contest the elections to the Lok Sabha, eventually snatching a chance of a Nair community member being sent to the Upper House, or the opinion of the NSS that a person of the stature of Shashi Tharoor should be nominated to the Rajya Sabha and thereby facilitate other eligible Nair community members to contest from the Thiruvananathapuram Lok Sabha seat, the Congress leadership has taken a negative approach,” they said. “It has not ended there. Shashi Tharoor was inducted as a minister and attempts were there to tag it in the quota of the Nair community. Tharoor may be an able person and let the Congress give him a seat or make him a minister. But he is just a Delhi Nair and many eligible were there in community in the state itself who have toiled much for the Congress,” the leaders said. “What we have said was that Congress ministers needn’t come here to embrace us without rectifying the injustice meted out in recent times. It is not something personal, but issue-based,” they said.
On a query whether the NSS has any specific proposals to end the rift with the Congress leadership and whether any deadline has been set for it, the leaders said that it is for the latter to come out with suggestions and no timeframe has been set for it.
When pointed out that the NSS is found to be dithering in airing grievances like lack of share in allotment of seats or ministership against the LDF, unlike in the case with the UDF and Congress, Sukumaran Nair said that it was not true.
Issuing a veiled threat, they also said that the LDF could score a victory similar to the one realised by UDF, if they made amends and took corrective measures in the remaining two year-term. “The LDF debacle was owing to factors like insults heaped on community and religious leaders and castigating the media in bad light, among other things. Whether it is Left or Right, if a government maintains a good approach and rules for the benefit of the people, a favourable mandate will be given,” Sukumaran Nair said.
Panicker and Sukumaran Nair said that the NSS had no plans to observe the golden jubilee of the Liberation Struggle.
Panicker took exception to the reported statement of Union Minister of State K V Thomas that he had no plans to visit the NSS headquarters the other day, and termed it as a total lie.
NSS budget: Focus on social welfare, women’s empowerment
The NSS has presented an annual budget entailing Rs 63.5 crore here on Saturday. The budget is focused on social welfare projects and constitution of institutions that ensure women’s empowerment. The budget, presented by NSS general secretary P K Narayana Panicker, is based on capital and revenue inflow of Rs 3.55 crore and Rs 50.9 crore respectively against capital and revenue expenditure of Rs 30.34 crore and Rs 33.15 crore respectively.
The thrust of this year’s budget is on a slew of projects for the uplift of women in the fold of the community, primarily under the umbrella of Self Help Groups (SHGs). Around 8627 women SHGs, with 1,53,360 members and a net asset of Rs 25.56 crore, have been established so far, the pratinidhi sabha members were told. “Rs 67 crore has been provided to 4,733 SHGs so far through linkage-loans as well as under the PMRY scheme, Panicker said. A total of 200 mini dairy units, under the aegis of the High Range NSS Union, in association with the Ernakulam regional office of Milma, and Dhanalakshmi bank has been planned with a total outlay of Rs 2.5 crore, which will be supported by a Rs 2-crore bank loan.
Neelakanta Pillai re-elected
P V Neelakanta Pillai was unanimously re-elected as president of the NSS for a third term during the budget session on Saturday. A lawyer by profession, the octogenarian represents the Chirayinkeezhu NSS taluk union. His tenure will be for three years. The meet also nominated 10 persons to the director board of the organisation.
Two elected to executive council
Nedumangad R Gopalan Nair has been re-elected to the executive council of the organisation. G Sukumaran Nair has also been elected to the five-member council, which deals with the day-to-day affairs of the organization.
