THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), which represents the powerful Ezhava community, is passing through tough times after its Mavelikkara union president and Spices Board chairman Subhash Vasu raised a banner of revolt against Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of the organisation.
Vasu is of the opinion that Vellappally is running SNDP like a family fiefdom and corruption is ruling the roost. According to Vasu, several senior leaders of the organisation have given silent support for his movement and it will come out in the open at the appropriate time.
“SNDP Yogam is now being run like a personal fiefdom of Vellappally and there is huge corruption in both the Yogam and SN Trust. Even for admissions to management seats in colleges under SN Trust as well as for postings of teachers and even last-grade employees, money is the only criteria. While several other managements do accept money, the amount is less compared to SN Trust’s colleges where the ‘donation’ rate has skyrocketed,” Vasu told TNIE.
There are around 136 SNDP Yogams and according to Vasu most of these units are against the style of functioning of Vellappally and more than 90 units have pledged support to him. Former state police chief T P Senkumar also supports the move against Velllappally.
“We will be conducting meetings in SNDP units across the state in mid-January and the initial feedback we received gives the impression that most of the office-bearers are fed up with this corruption of Vellappally and those associated with him,” Vasu added. “Several court cases are pending against Vellappally on the malpractices conducted in SNDP Yogam and SN Trust institutions. The final hearing and arguments in these cases are also coming up in the High court,” he added.
It may be noted that since 1996, Vellappally has been at the helm of SNDP Yogam and he brought his son Thushar Vellappally as SNDP Yogam devaswom secretary and now he is the state president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS).
“In the past 23 years since Vellappally assumed office as SNDP Yogam general secretary, the organisation has lost its true calling and has turned into a den of corruption,” said Vasu, who was a close associate of Vellappally and Thushar and was instrumental in the formation of BDJS.
“I have my sympathies with the movement to reform SNDP Yogam and SN Trust from their present predicaments. After all these years nothing has changed as far as the community is concerned and a cleansing is required for the upliftment of Ezhavas. If no action is taken even at this late hour, the community will have to suffer in all aspects,” Senkumar told TNIE.
“I will not respond to what Subhash Vasu has said. Let us see how things are turning out in the days to come,” Vellappally told TNIE.
Voice of dissent
Vasu said several senior leaders have offered their silent support to him. This will come out into the open at the appropriate time