NSS firm on economic quota demand

Sukumaran Nair says there will not be any NSS move that will threaten alliance with SNDP Yogam

Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair on Thursday said the NSS had not dropped its demand for economic reservation.

It had instead softened its stance and was pursuing an option in which its demand would not affect the benefits enjoyed by the reserved communities.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the NSS Prathinidhi Sabha meeting at the organisation’s headquarters, Mr. Nair said it would be wrong to infer that the NSS had surrendered its prime demand of equality for strengthening its alliance with the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam.

“We, at present, intend to muster support of the reserved communities for our cause and proceed in a manner that does not affect the benefits being enjoyed by any section. The NSS aims at creating an atmosphere conducive for progressive discussion among all majority communities, including those coming under reserved categories. We will continue to remain firm in our demand for reservation for the economically backward among the forward communities, even while ensuring that none of the other communities lost any of the benefit by our demand,” he said.

He said there would not be any move on the part of the NSS that would threaten its alliance with the SNDP Yogam.

Mr. Nair said the willingness of the CPI(M) leadership to cooperate with religious and community organisations in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections was part of its survival strategy.

“Attempts have been made in the past by the CPI(M) to gather support of the minority communities for political gains. However, there will not be any change in the declared stance of the NSS with respect to such policies of the CPI(M),” he said.

Earlier, addressing the members of the NSS Prathinidhi Sabha, Mr. Nair said the alliance formed with the Yogam was inevitable considering the circumstances.

He said the successive governments in the State had buckled under political pressure exerted by the minority communities for attaining their goals. This trend did not auger well for the State.