KOTTAYAM: The Nair Service Society has decided to continue with the equidistance policy in the Assembly elections. "The NSS is of the view that the community should be given due representation by all in the political and democratic process," NSS general secretary P K Narayana Panicker and secretary G Sukumaran Nair said in a statement.
"As of now, the NSS cannot support or oppose a political front", they said and added that raising voice against a government is not because of any opposition but against the unwillingness to accept the genuine demands made by the organisation.
The equidistance policy has proved to be a sharp weapon, especially against the backdrop of political parties of all hues turning their back on the longstanding demands of the NSS. Moreover, the policy has provided ample ground for those owing allegiance to various political parties to think and work above politics for the benefit of the community in a united manner. Nothing is warranted at the moment to make a shift in the policy, the statement said.
"The NSS is not bothered about any of the candidates who are contesting the Assembly polls or who becomes the chief minister, but only very keen that those elected should follow democratic norms, secular ideals and protect the interests of the nation without fail. They should also approve the genuine demands of the NSS," the statement said.
The leaders took strong exception to what they called dragging the NSS by levelling baseless allegations like interfering with the choice of candidates of political parties and deciding who should be made ministers. Such allegations should be treated with disregard, they said.
"The NSS is mainly concerned over the denial of social justice through division into forward and backward communities, ensuring reservation for the economically backward without any differentiation and the discrimination on central laws pertaining to the running of educational institutions under the control of minority and majority communities," the statement said.
