KOTTAYAM: The war of words between Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary G Sukumaran Nair and former minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader K B Ganesh Kumar intensified on Wednesday, with Nair rejecting the latter’s allegations and accusing him of siding with those attempting to weaken the community organisation.
Responding to Ganesh’s criticism of the NSS functioning, Nair said anyone with a grievance was free to seek legal remedy. He alleged that several people were approaching courts with the intention of undermining the organisation and said Ganesh was now speaking on their behalf.
Nair, who said he had been associated with the NSS for 64 years, maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing and rejected the allegation that appointments in the organisation had been made in violation of rules. He said Ganesh’s criticism of NSS’ democratic functioning emerged only after he lost positions in the organisation.
“I did not come here illegally. I was elected through a democratic process. Even in the latest election, there was no one to oppose me,” Nair said.
He also declined to comment on Ganesh’s other allegations, saying the actions of both sides were being closely watched by the public. He reiterated the NSS’ stand of maintaining equal distance from all political parties.
On the controversy surrounding the denial of permission to the Vice-President to enter the Mannam Samadhi, Nair said the NSS had no objection to the Vice-President’s visit. The objection, he clarified, was specifically against the demand to bring a dog into the premises as part of the security inspection.
Ganesh had on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the NSS leadership, alleging that the organisation founded by Mannathu Padmanabhan had been taken over by a few individuals and reduced to a “family fiefdom”. He had also alleged that appointments had been made for 43 members of a single family and questioned the organisation’s policy of maintaining equidistance from political parties.
