The talks on the proposed Hindu League, an alternative political party along the lines of the Muslim League suggested by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, is seemingly heading toward a dead-end, thanks to the strong reservations expressed by the Nair Service Society (NSS).
Though the NSS director board endorsed the alliance with the SNDP to protect the interests of the majority community as a whole, it took a stern stand against floating a new party as it is against its proclaimed ‘equi-distance stance’ and it would spoil the secular stand of the organisation. It is learnt that the pressure from the NSS leadership forced SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan take a u-turn in the leadership meeting held at Munnar by saying that greater alliance of Hindus is the need of the hour than floating a political party.
NSS sources said Vellappaally had contacted general secretary G Sukumaran Nair from Munnar and the latter expressed his concerns over floating political party.
However, Sukumaran Nair said that he would not comment on the SNDP’s initiatives for a Hindu League till their official declaration comes out. “Though, the people of Nair community constitute the NSS, the organisation has a clear secular stance. We are always in solidarity with other religions. Also, NSS doesn’t have affiliation with any political party,” Sukumaran Nair said. He said that the NSS renounced from politics since it realised that its political functioning was a failure, referring to the defunct National Democratic Party (NDP). “NSS will no longer have a rethink on this stand. We can’t have political leniency as we are against any political affiliation. Also, we don’t think that a political affiliation is essential for our survival,” he said. He also said that the NSS would not review its stand even if all other Hindu communities stand firm on floating a new political party. However, Vellappally Natesan denounced reports that the SNDP retracted from its decision to form a political party because of the pressure from the NSS. “It is true that we had ideas for floating a political party. However, technically only the SNDP general body meeting can take decision in this regard. Also, we did not hold a meeting of all the communities who can part of the greater Hindu alliance. SNDP and NSS alone can’t take a decision,” he said.
However, sources close to the SNDP said that the proposed name, Hindu League, denotes a communal pigment, hence, the Election Commission may deny permission for it, which forced them for a rethink.