THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The row over Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s meeting with leaders of the Hindu Aikya Vedi has deepened, with the Nair Service Society (NSS) saying the public should judge his approach to the organisation.
Reacting to the development, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair told TNIE: “It is for the public to judge whether the chief minister’s action denying permission to NSS for a meeting was right. It is for the people to decide whether his conduct amounted to discourtesy.”
On June 20, Sukumaran Nair had alleged that the chief minister had twice denied the NSS an appointment. The issue gained traction after Satheesan met Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders at his office on Friday to receive a representation. The organisation later shared details of the meeting on social media.
Sukumaran Nair said NSS was no longer keen to meet the chief minister. “He is granting appointments to others. I don’t care about it now,” he said. Asked whether it reflected a case of double standards, Sukumaran Nair said: “We had sought an appointment, but it was not granted. However, we have other options. The purpose for which we had sought a meeting with him can now be achieved through other means.”
Meanwhile, Hindu Aikya Vedi leader R V Babu told TNIE that the delegation met the chief minister to submit a representation adopted at the Hindu Leadership Conference held in June. “We got the appointment after approaching the chief minister twice. The meeting was cordial and took place at his office,” Babu said.
Asked about the exchange of allegations between him and Satheesan before the assembly poll, Babu said it was all part of politics. “We had earlier shared a stage at a function in Paravur. Though we thought he would not attend, the chief minister participated,” he said.
Responding to the criticism over Satheesan meeting Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders, Babu pointed out that the organisation had also met Pinarayi Vijayan when he was chief minister in 2016. “Why did those criticising the meeting with Satheesan remain silent then?” he asked in a social media post.
It was Babu who had released the photo of Satheesan lighting a lamp in front of the portrait of RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar.
Meanwhile, the chief minister’s meeting with Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders has reportedly caused unease within sections of the Congress and the UDF. Two former KPCC presidents told TNIE that the CM should adopt the same yardstick in granting appointments to all organisations.
“Applying different standards could distance community organisations that have a long record of promoting communal harmony from the government,” one of them said. Congress leaders have also questioned Satheesan’s continued stand against SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan even after assuming office as chief minister.
“If you can meet Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders without any hesitation, you should also meet others,” a senior Congress leader said.
