KOTTAYAM: Coming down heavily on new Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan’s remarks on community and religious organisations, the Nair Service Society (NSS) has warned that taking an opportunistic stance against such organisations won’t auger well for the Congress.
In a statement on Tuesday, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair alleged that Satheesan is making cheap statements against the religious and community organisations after ensuring the post of Opposition leader. Nair also urged the party leadership to examine whether these statements are in line with the tradition of a national party like Congress. “The Congress has always been close to various religious and caste groups and organisations,” Nair said.
Nair further added that it is improper for any politician to seek support from a community organisation at the time of need and disown it after achieving the goal. “Several politicians, irrespective of their political affinities, had approached the NSS seeking its support in the assembly elections. Even the present leader of Opposition too had visited the NSS headquarters and spent nearly an hour there ahead of the assembly elections. He sought the support of NSS taluk union and karayogam office-bearers by meeting them in person. And he now appears to be overjoyed by the latest position and makies cheap statements,” Nair said.
Nair added that leaders of the political parties should realise that religious and community organisations have the right to analyse and register their opinions on the functioning of parties just like any individual. “At the same time, community organisations have no right to intervene in the internal affairs of a political organisation,” he said.
According to Nair, it was not the leader of Opposition but the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee that should declare the policy decisions of the party. Nair also wanted to know the opinion of the next Congress state president on Satheesan’s approach towards the community organisations and its leaders as well as on the Sabarimala issue.
Nair said the NSS will maintain the same political stance towards all parties and coalitions. “The NSS didn’t take a stand against any political party in the recent elections. The NSS will acknowledge the right steps of this government and whenever it commits a mistake, that too will be highlighted as and when it happens,” he said.