Natesan launches yatra eyeing political gains

Kasaragod/Thiruvananthapuram: Attacking the Congress and CPI-M, Vellapally Natesan, General secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, an organisation of backward Ezhava community, Monday embarked on his highly publicised 'Samathwa Munnetta Yatra' stating that it was not against any community.

"We have no animosity against anyone. It is a fight to live in the land of one's birth. The fight is not to defeat or challenge anyone," Natesan said at a public meeting, marred by heavy rains here.

The yatra, aimed at finding a space in the bi-polar polity of Kerala, has already unnerved both the ruling Congress-led UDF and the opposition CPI(M) headed LDF.

Both Fronts had been hitting out at Natesan since he warmed up to the saffron party and had met BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the chances of a tie-up before the civic polls early this month.

Natesan, who has given hints that he would be launching a political party when the yatra, aimed at uniting members from Nayadi to Namboothiri communities and to strike a better deal for the majority community in Kerala, reaches Thiruvanathapuram, the state capital, on December 5.

However, the Nair Service Society, an organisation of the upper class Hindu community, has kept itself at a distance from SNDP's overtures for unity of the majority communities.

Referring to the brutal attack, allegedly by CPI-(M) workers against slain RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan, who suffered 51 stab wounds, Natesan said "violence is not SNDP's culture." "Efforts are being made by some forces to torpedo our unity. CPI(M) is in the forefront," he said.

Several Hindu mutt heads, including Pejawar mutt chief Visweswara Theertha, attended the public meeting.

BJP state president, V Muraleedharan, had earlier met Natesan and wished him all success for the yatra.

Attacking Natesan, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in Thiruvananthapuram that the aim of the yatra was to create a division misusing the visions of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru who had propagated the message of 'one caste, one religion and one god for mankind'.

"Kerala society will not accept the move to use the Guru's name for BJP's political gains," Chandy said.

Kerala PCC President, V M Sudheeran, alleged that the rally's aim was to implement the RSS's communal agenda.

Sharpening his attack against Natesan, marxist veteran and opposition leader V S Achuthanandan alleged the SNDP leader would be donning the RSS uniform when the rally reaches Attingal, near Thiruvananthapuram and attain 'Jala samadhi' when he reaches the state capital.