Kerala owes much to leaders like Pandit Karuppan, says CM

Kerala owes much to social leaders like Pandit Karuppan who fought against social and caste discrimination, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

Mr. Vijayan was speaking after unveiling the statute of Pandit Karuppan before the Ernakulam Goshree Pandit Karuppan memorial hall here on Sunday.

Social and caste discrimination had hit the Dheevara community hard in the State.

Literature as a medium

Pandit Karuppan, who fought against social inequalities, also used literature as a medium for his fight for social justice.

It was the Sabhas he formed in the State that laid the foundation for the social reformation and renaissance of the Dheevara community, Mr. Vijayan said.

Identifying the forces that are trying to torpedo the unity of fishermen would be the greatest tribute to the social reformer, the Chief Minister said.

50% reservation sought

In a representation submitted to the Chief Minister, the Dheevara Sabha demanded 50% reservation to scheduled caste and schedule tribe communities and backward communities in employment in government and quasi-government organisations.

Sabha general secretary V. Dinakaran, president K.K. Radhakrishnan, Kerala Dalit Federation president P. Ramabhadran, Jnanodayam Sabha president A.R. Sivaji, Hibi Eden and T.N. Pratapan, MPs, S. Sarma, MLA, Mayor Soumini Jain, Corporation councillor Deepak Joy, Kerala High Court former judge K. Sukumaran, and BJP State vice president P.M. Velayudhan were among those who attended the event.