NSS, SNDP hit out at ‘appeasement’ policy

Mounting a scathing attack on the ‘minority appeasement’ policies of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government and distancing themselves from accusations of perceived communalisation, leaders of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam and the Nair Service Society (NSS) on Friday decided to take their unity efforts to the next logical stage of ‘majority community unity.’

Power was in the hands of three minority community Ministers and the majority community was forced to flee the land on account of the blatant policy of minority appeasement followed by the government, said NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan at a press conference at the NSS headquarters at Perunna.

Mr. Natesan was on his first visit to Perunna after Mr. Nair took over as general secretary last year. The two leaders had an hour-long one-to-one talk at the NSS headquarters. Incidentally, Mr. Nair’s first visit after taking over the mantle was to Kanichukulangara, Mr. Natesan’s residence.

Mr. Nair said the unity of majority community was the need of the hour. This should not be on a communal platform, but on pure secular platform. “We do not believe in infringing upon the legitimate rights of other communities, including the minorities. However, we cannot be mute witnesses if the rights of the majority community were infringed upon by any other sections,” Mr. Nair said.

Mr. Nair pointed out that attempts to drive a wedge into the unity efforts, by exploiting the reservation issue, would not work any more. “The NSS has made a major turnaround in its policy by withdrawing all cases. Instead, we have sought the support of the SNDP for our efforts to get benefits for the financially backward among the forward communities,” he said.

A united effort on the part of the majority community could change the present situation, according to Mr. Natesan and Mr. Nair.

It was the actions from the part of those in power which had forced the majority community to come together, they added.