CHANGANASSERY: In a scathing attack on both the LDF and the BJP, Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said that the organisation will stand firmly on its right- distance policy as those in power continue their apathy in delivering social justice. Addressing the All Kerala Nair Delegates’ meet as part of the 143rd Mannam Jayanti celebrations at Perunna, he said NSS always maintained equidistance with all political parties.
“We have taken the rightdistance stand to ensure social justice. The equidistance and right-distance policies should not be applied for any personal gains. The NSS had directed its members to cast votes in the recent Lok Sabha polls for those who stood for the protection of faith in the Sabarimala issue and did not mention any political outfit or coalition in particular,” he said adding that the Union Government has not delivered justice to them in the issue while the CPM-led state government has done all the harm to the organisation. NSS general secretary further said it was imperative for the community members to use the right-distance policy with good sense and find the right choice among the political outfits. According to him, NSS is determined to continue with its fight to protect the customs and traditions associated with the Sabarimala hill shrine.
“The Supreme Court had referred the review pleas to a larger bench. Since its initial stage, the NSS stood for the protection of faith. In a sense, this stand has proved right for the time being. However, the NSS decided to continue the legal battle for resolving the issue completely,” he added. “NSS members have the right to follow the political line they like. However, the organisation will not interfere in the internal issues of any political party. The political outfits also should not meddle in the internal matters of the NSS,” said Sukumaran Nair. Responding to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Nair said that for the time being the organisation has not taken a stand on the issue.
“The NSS came into being much before all these political organisations or even the Constitution, and all along, we have upheld secularism, democracy and social justice. We decided to stay away from a meeting convened by the Chief Minister to discuss the issue but the public clearly knows our stand on this,’’ he said. NSS also aired its strong protest against the state government for the delay in implementing the 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward among the general category in government jobs and education sector and its move to implement reservation quota for the SC/ST and OBC categories in streams 2 and 3 of the Kerala Administrative Service (KAS). NSS president P N Narendranathan Nair presided over the meeting while NSS Registrar P N Suresh and members of the director board were also present. Though actor and Kerala Congress (B) leader KB Ganesh Kumar, MLA, was among the delegates, no one from any political parties was invited to the dais.
NSS gen secy takes a dig at Vellappally In an indirect attack on SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said they could not attend a meeting with community leaders who change their stand often. “Our founder leader Mannathu Padmanabhan wished to see a state with people united on the principles of secularism, democracy and social justice. NSS upholds secularism, democracy and social justice as our core values,” he said while responding on why NSS stayed away from the meeting convened by the CM to discuss the CAA.