Varkala: In a significant development ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, the Sivagiri Mutt has openly come out against SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan. Sachidananda Swami, the President of the Sivagiri Dharma Sangham Trust, accused Natesan of deviating from the core teachings of Sree Narayana Guru.
Speaking to the media, Sachidananda Swami stated that Vellappally’s recent communal rhetorics have created a bridge of mistrust between the Ezhava community and other religious groups. “A situation has arisen where people from other religions are hesitant to vote for Ezhava candidates due to the polarizing stance taken by the SNDP leadership,” Swami remarked.
Key Highlights of the Criticism:
- Betrayal of Guru’s Vision: Swami noted that Sree Narayana Guru preached “Universal Brotherhood,” but the current leadership is pushing the community toward communal isolation.
- Electoral Impact: The Mutt expressed concern that Ezhava candidates across various political fronts are facing a backlash from minority and other majority community voters because of Natesan’s public posturing.
- Political Self-Interest: The Swami hinted that the SNDP General Secretary is using the community as a tool to bargain for personal political gains rather than the welfare of the members.
This public fallout between the spiritual headquarters of the Ezhava community (Sivagiri) and its prominent social organization (SNDP) is expected to have a major impact on the upcoming polls.
