Tharoor able to even turning into PM. His colleagues won’t let it occur

By Express News Service

The Nair Service Society (NSS) has performed a significant position in Kerala’s socio-political historical past ever for the reason that Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle). Though it swears by the ‘samadoora sidhantham’ (coverage of equidistance), its political inclinations have by no means been a secret. G Sukumaran Nair, common secretary of the NSS, is one who by no means minces his phrases. He tells TNIE why Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is his present favorite and why Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan is on his hit record. Edited excerpts

Mannam Jayanti is a prestigious annual celebration of the NSS. As NSS vows to maintain ‘equidistance’ from all political events, political leaders should not often invited to inaugurate jayanti celebrations. What was the rationale for inviting Shashi Tharoor?
Tharoor is a tharavadi Nair. He is a world citizen. We hoped to get a glimpse of his huge information and brilliance. Moreover, he’s somebody who blurs political boundaries.

But Tharoor is a Congress MP…
Yes, he’s a Congress MP. But he’s somebody who factors out the problems throughout the celebration. Also, he’s somebody who stands with the frequent man. So, there is no such thing as a have to see him as a mere Congressman.

Some Congress leaders, who earlier had a superb rapport with NSS, left the venue with out attending the operate. Tharoor himself mentioned that ‘one Nair can’t stand one other Nair’…
(Chuckles) Yes, I too observed that. Some Congress leaders didn’t like Tharoor’s presence. It solely reveals the poor angle of sure Congress leaders.

Is it appropriate to say that ‘one Nair can’t stand one other Nair’?
(Laughs) I’ve heard it from the Acharyan (Mannathu Padmanabhan) himself. I feel there may be some fact to it… (Chuckles, once more).

That tendency is extra amongst Nairs within the Congress?
If you have a look at these contesting for CM’s put up in Congress, you’ll be able to see that… (Laughs out).

V D Satheesan had mentioned that he wouldn’t go and fall on the toes of neighborhood leaders for votes. Is that why you didn’t invite him?
I dislike him not simply due to that. Something which he mentioned had harm Nairs extra. He as soon as mentioned, “One should not lie down when asked to sit.” It was a impolite factor to say. Such language is unacceptable. That was very insulting to the neighborhood. We won’t ever forgive him.
What should have prompted Satheesan to say so?
Satheesan mentioned that after he received the Paravoor seat in Assembly election.

But he has to win the following election too…
That is one thing for him to fret about.

Is it true that he had come and met you earlier than the election?
He had referred to as on me twice. He spent almost two hours with me simply earlier than the 2021 Assembly elections.

How do you assess Satheesan’s efficiency as opposition chief?
Is there an opposition in Kerala?

So you assume Ramesh Chennithala was higher?
Both are birds of the identical feather. I don’t need to say extra.

SNDP chief Vellappally Natesan had as soon as informed us that Nair-Ezhava unity is not doable. Do you share the identical opinion?
Hindu unity is just not doable so long as reservation exists. But he’s the one who scuttled the unity efforts.

You each shared a superb rapport as soon as. What transpired between Vellappally and also you?
He had agreed to offer a press release that the problems of unreserved classes additionally must be addressed. But he modified his stance.

NSS is a powerful proponent of financial reservation…
Only the wealthy have benefited from reservation. Many who journey in Audi automobiles nonetheless avail of reservation advantages. Can or not it’s justified?

But isn’t caste satisfaction nonetheless a actuality? An economically-backward upper-caste particular person nonetheless holds a greater place in society than the wealthy in reserved classes…
No longer. That is a factor of the previous.

So you say a Nair and an Ezhava have equal standing in Kerala society?
All are equal in society. If you have a look at the caste of the wives of many top-notch politicians belonging to OBC, you’ll be able to see that all of them are Nairs.

So you assume casteism is disappearing from Kerala?
Yes. Here caste pops up solely with regards to reservation.

Will you implement financial reservation in NSS establishments too?
NSS is just not amassing taxes from Nairs. But the federal government is amassing taxes from all, together with you and me. We give free schooling to all.

When NSS calls for financial reservation, can’t it implement the identical in its establishments?
NSS by no means calls for cash for appointments. Many provide cash voluntarily. Everything is accounted for in NSS.

How is your equation with the current LDF authorities?
We don’t discover any good issues about this authorities. The solely request we made was to make Mannam Jayanti a vacation beneath the Negotiable Instruments Act. But the federal government didn’t heed our request, simply because Mannam led the Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle). This is at a time when each the beginning and loss of life anniversaries of Sree Narayana Guru are holidays. Please don’t assume I’m towards it. Guru completely deserves it. But doesn’t Mannam too deserve related respect?

RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar had as soon as visited the NSS headquarters. But the present NSS management doesn’t share a pleasant relationship with the BJP, that proclaims itself as the one Hindu political celebration…
I don’t imagine that the BJP is right here to guard Hindus. If the BJP was real, the instances towards Sabarimala protesters would have been historical past by now. A single telephone name by the prime minister would have ended the entire subject. But the BJP is just not doing it. That is as a result of backward Hindus in Kerala assume Nama Japa Yatra was mistaken. Samadooram from all political events is our coverage.
Though you profess samadhoora sidhantham, a Congress bias is clear. What is the rationale?
Congress, although of not a lot use to anybody, has a tradition and method. But don’t name me a Congressman as a result of I say this. (Laughs).

Do you assume BJP is nearer to Congress in tradition?
No. Both LDF and BJP are related.

You had mentioned individuals yearn for regime change on the day of the Assembly election. But individuals didn’t heed your phrases…
I mentioned it when reporters
requested me. I nonetheless imagine that. LDF received the election solely due to the inefficiency of the Congress.

Why did the UDF lose the 2021 elections?
They misplaced as a result of Ramesh Chennithala was projected as CM. It would have received had it caught by Oommen Chandy.

But you had been the one who had positioned Chennithala in thakkol sthanam (key place)…
Yes, I did. But what did he do after getting the important thing place? He ditched NSS the very subsequent day and mentioned that no person ought to model him as a Nair.

A joke doing the rounds about Congress politics is that 4 Nairs are preventing for the CM put up…
I agree with that… (chuckles)

Will any a type of Nairs get the NSS assist?
Let individuals determine that.

Not even Tharoor?
I invited him to appropriate one among my statements about him being a Delhi Nair.

But why did you name him so?
That was the impression I had on the time. Many Congress leaders had been towards him then.

Do you assume Tharoor is now a tharavadi Nair?
Tharoor is able to even turning into the prime minister of the nation. But his colleagues won’t let it occur.

There are sure individuals who assume that Tharoor has now come all the way down to the stature of a Nair from that of a world citizen…
Only those that take into consideration caste on a regular basis will say this. If I brazenly suggest a Nair for a key place, that would be the finish of his profession. That is why I’m not doing so.

Why is it so? Is there any common antipathy in direction of NSS/Nairs in Kerala society?
Yes, virtually everyone seems to be jealous of Nairs. Because we’re a powerful neighborhood although we’re fewer in quantity.

NSS performed a vital position within the Vimochana Samaram. These days many see it as a mistake…
No, I don’t assume so. It was an accurate transfer.
Did NSS have higher entry to authorities when the UDF was in energy?
Yes. UDF all the time had an open thoughts. They used to hearken to us. But LDF doesn’t.

But there are extra Nairs within the LDF authorities and management than in Congress…
That is their technique. But they’re of no use to the neighborhood. If a Nair approaches them even for rightful issues, they don’t provide any assist. Then how can they be referred to as Nairs?

NSS models had been earlier manned by Congress leaders. But now a lot of the models have BJP leaders. Have you observed this variation?
BJP has all the time tried to seize NSS models. But they won’t win. Congress wouldn’t have gotten even this many seats within the 2021 elections if Nairs hadn’t voted for it. While all different communities — Christians, Muslims and Ezhavas — ditched the Congress, we stood by them.

Does NSS see any political celebration which it could actually determine with?
Every political celebration, together with the BJP, is making an attempt to draw the votes of backward castes and minorities. Nobody is concerned in regards to the ahead castes as a result of we’re fewer in quantity.

BJP is a celebration that guidelines the nation. But it’s nonetheless not in a position to make a foothold in Kerala. Do you see a future for the BJP in Kerala?
Politics can change in a day. A single phrase from somebody can change the entire state of affairs. Did anybody foresee BJP turning into this highly effective in India?

When we discuss to BJP/RSS leaders, they are saying that the largest obstacle earlier than the BJP in Kerala is just not the minorities however NSS and SNDP. Is that true?
We should not towards any political celebration. We all the time preserve a coverage of equidistance. I do know RSS inside out. I used to be an RSS man for 18 years. But I realised that NSS is a greater place for Nairs than RSS.

When former NSS common secretary P Ok Narayana Panicker died, Pinarayi Vijayan, in his condolence message, praised NSS for taking part in a decisive position in checking the advance of RSS in Kerala…
Yes.

Many organisations in Kerala have change into hereditary in nature. But not NSS…
That is the speciality of NSS. From Mannam’s time, that’s the coverage of the NSS. We are happy with it.

There was a latest controversy when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan didn’t stand up for Guruvandanam…
That was as a result of he is aware of all Ezhavas are CPM sympathisers… The similar particular person celebrated Christmas at his place. That is as a result of he desires to win over that neighborhood now.

Your equation with the CM doesn’t appear to be a superb one…
He had invited me to the Christmas celebration. But I declined the invite.

Among the CMs, who had been your favourites?
E Ok Nayanar, C Achutha Menon and Ok Karunakaran.

Among them?
E Ok Nayanar.

Not Ok Karunakaran?
He was solely all smiles. But Nayanar was not like that. He was very frank and simple.

Why is NSS not lively in Malabar?
Malabar is extra political than the south. All neighborhood organisations are weaker there.

If you have a look at Kerala’s socio-religious state of affairs, one can see an uncommon rapport between Nairs and the so-called ‘upper caste’ Christian communities. What are the explanations?
That proximity has been there for a very long time. Christians have tailored nicely to Hindu tradition and ethos. It is just not simple to distinguish between a Nair lady and an upper-caste Christian lady.

BJP claims that Christians are getting nearer to the celebration. Do you assume the assertion holds water?
Yes, it does. Not all Christian teams, although, however some.

Do you share their issues about ‘love jihad’?
I don’t imagine in it. People throughout religions are marrying one another. It is mistaken to single out a neighborhood.

You are referred to as ‘Pope of Perunna’…
I solely coined it. (Laughs…) If Catholics name their head the pope, then being NSS common secretary, I’m the pope of Nairs (chuckles).