Not against any community, will always speak for social justice: SNDP leader

Kochi | SNDP Yogam leader Vellappally Natesan on Sunday said he "was not against any particular community", but would always speak out to ensure social justice.

Speaking at a felicitation event held in his honour, Natesan said that the Muslim community, "despite internal differences", had managed to unite and consolidate itself into a strong vote bank.

The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam general secretary further said that he was not against any particular community, but would always speak out in the interests of social justice.

He said that both Muslim and Christian communities had progressed by coming together, and therefore, the "Ezhava community should learn from them."

His comments came a day after he claimed that the Muslim community would soon become the majority in Kerala.

Natesan also criticised the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF, for "calling itself secular while having no office bearers, MPs, or MLAs from other communities."

In contrast, he claimed, many Muslims were part of the SNDP.

Further, he claimed the Ezhava community did not have a single school in Malappuram district and drew flak for stating it publicly.

"I don’t care if my effigy is burned—or if I am—I will not change my stance," he added.

Meanwhile, leaders from the CPI(M), Congress and BJP who attended the event praised Natesan’s leadership.

State Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan said Natesan was adept at "crisis management" and had consolidated the SNDP Yogam into a "strong organisation".

Congress MLA K Babu echoed the sentiment, saying Natesan faced several challenges, including being "hunted" by the media, but remained resolute and "strengthened the organisation".

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was present, said that in an era dominated by "appeasement politics", Natesan had "consistently and courageously stood up for the rights of his community," adding that his contributions to Kerala’s social and cultural landscape were "invaluable".

In April this year, Natesan had described Malappuram as a separate nation or an exclusive state of certain people, claiming that "people from backward communities lived in fear there."

The SNDP Yogam represents the numerically strong Ezhava community in Kerala.