The cause of worry for communists is that the RSS and other like-minded organisations in Kerala have struck deep roots amongst the Hindus, who are being exploited by both the UDF and the LDF, to appease the organised minorities in the State, to keep their vote banks intact
U Gopal Maller
Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, an incorrigible Communist, is slowly turning into a researcher of Hinduism and Hindu traditions. You should not ask what a “Marxian Theorist” has to do with Hinduism or, for that matter, any religion. It is not that he has any love lost for Hinduism. His only cause of worry is that the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and other like-minded organisations in Kerala have struck deep roots amongst the Hindus, who are being exploited, neglected, or ignored by both the UDF and the LDF, to appease and pamper the organised minorities in the State, to keep their vote banks intact.
Presently, for the Sonia Gandhi Congress (or is it RaGa Congress?), the Indian Union Muslim league (IUML) is a dyed- in- the- wool secular outfit. And the Kerala Congress, a Christian political party, is the epitome of secularism. The LDF, led by the CPI (M), has in its fold a faction of the Kerala Congress, and is eagerly awaiting an opportune and auspicious moment to grab the ‘chunk,’ presently in the Congress camp. For the CPI (M), the IUML is not communal and they have all praise for Abdul Nazar Madani, founder of the Peoples Democratic Party, a Muslim political outfit, who is presently facing prosecution in Karnataka in connection with some terrorist activity.
Angadippuram Tali Temple Agitation
It was the Communist-led Government in the State, way back in 1968, with EMS Namboodiripad as the Chief Minister that tried to divest the Hindus of their fundamental right to offer worship at the age-old Tali Mahadeva Temple at Angadipuram, to keep the Islamic iconoclasts in good spirits.
When the Hindus sought to renovate the Angadipuram Tali Temple, one of the sixty-four famous Tali Temples in Kerala, a section of Muslims opposed the move without any valid reasons and the complicit Left Front Government, with Namboodiripad as the Chief Minister, to pamper the Muslim zealots, declared the temple land as an archaeological site and prohibited any construction activity there, to checkmate Hindus. At that time, the RSS had started gaining strength as a formidable force, and stood behind Kelappaji, a freedom fighter and Gandhian and the founder of the Kerala Kshethara Samrakshana Samithi, who was 80 years of age at that time, as a rock, giving him all necessary support to conduct an agitation against this injustice, which ultimately led to victory. Thus the nefarious design of the atheistic Communists, the Kerala Government run by them, and the Islamic fundamentalists to deny Hindus their right to worship was totally defeated. What is more important is, that the victory was instrumental in sending a strong and unambiguous message to all concerned that any attempt to interfere with Hindus’ birthright to renovate their temples and to offer worship, would not be tolerated under any circumstances. Another noteworthy achievement of the agitation was that all Hindus, irrespective of their caste
distinctions and political affiliation, wholeheartedly participated in the agitation with a spirit of unity, perhaps for the first time in the history of post Independence Kerala.
Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Presently, for the CPI (M), Swami Vivekananda has become an icon of “Shudra Jagaran and the champion of the downtrodden.” However, when, way back in the 1960s, the Kerala Government was approached for funds for the construction of the majestic memorial for Swami Vivekananda, the patriot saint, at Kanyakumari, EMS Naboodiripad, the then Chief Minister, bluntly refused to pay anything. Such is their love for the Swamiji!
Nilakkal Agitation
Not to be left behind, in the year 1983, the Congress led UDF, with late K. Karunakaran, the wiliest politician the State has ever produced, tried to snatch away the rights of the Hindus over the properties of the famous Nilakkal Mahadeva Temple situated at the foothill of the sacred Sabarimala, so as to offer it to the Christians on a platter!
In 1983, a cross made of granite stone and allegedly belonging to the period of Saint Thomas, was ‘unearthed’ from the sacred precincts of the ancient Nilakkal Mahadeva Temple, and, in no time, Christians erected a temporary structure there. The then Congress Chief Minister, K Karunakaran, to appease the Christian community for their vote bank, rather than instituting an enquiry into the sudden unearthing of a cross or ordering the demolition of the unauthorised structure erected at the temple premises by the Christians, resorted to repressive action against the Hindus. MLAs belonging to the ruling dispensation as well as the Opposition parties, preferred to maintain a prohibitive silence in the matter, giving covert support to the Christians. However, the Hindus, under inspiration from the RSS, and led by the Kerala Kshethra Samrakshana Samithi, organised a powerful agitation facing all odds against this injustice and ultimately the government as well as the Christians had to surrender before the will of the Hindus, and remove the cross, stealthily planted at the temple premises, with police help and install it at Angamuzhi, away from the Lord’s flower garden, the Sabatimala hills.
Paliyam Vilambaram
The historic “Temple Entry Proclamation” of 1934, granting right of entry to temples to all Hindus irrespective of their caste, creed, etc., was a watershed in the history of the Hindus of Kerala. And equally important was the “Paliyam Vilambaram” (Paliyam Declaration) of August 26, 1987. An Assembly of Acharyas, comprising great Vaidikas, Tantriks, and scholars with authoritative knowledge about the Vedic and Tantrik traditions, was held at Paliyam in Chendamangalam, in central Kerala. On that day, a proclamation was made that it is not one’s birth but Karma that bestows Brahmin-hood, and anyone who acquires Brahmin-hood through this process has the right and eligibility to practise priest- craft. The person who put forward the proposal and made the proclamation possible was late P Madhava ji, a Sangh Pracharak, who was an erudite scholar and authority on temple rituals and allied subjects.
As a result of all these, the Hindus in Kerala have naturally come to accept the Sangh’s leadership, as their real benefactors and protectors, causing heartburns to both the UDF and LDF and have robbed them of their sleep.
Of late, in March 2016, Pinarayi Vijayan attended a Hindu seminar and sang eulogies to Hinduism. But his main purpose, rather than singing paeans of praise for Hinduism, was to mount a diatribe against the RSS. Also, the CPI (M) people, for whom until recently Hinduism was nothing but a bundle of superstitions, have started celebrating Sri Krishna Janmashtami and Sri Narayana Guru Jayanti, etc. with the vain hope of weaning the Hindus of the state from the Sangh fold. But all these, instead of doing any good to them, has only brought them ignominy, condemnation and loss of face. The very people who were contemptuous of temples and temple worship and assiduously propagated the slogan, “Destruction of a temple means that much less superstition,” are presently busy encouraging the party cadres to be active in temple committees.
Latest, Pinarayi Vijayan has brought out a leaflet in his name, based on a comment purportedly made by Sri Narayana Guru to the effect, “We have no caste,” to make a false claim that it was the Leftist Movement that carried forward the social reformation initiated by the Guru. Here is an incontrovertible evidence of the respect the Leftists have for the Guru, from Swami Prakashananda ji, the President of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, founded by Sri Narayana Guru. During the so-called cultural procession conducted by a CPI (M) outfit in September 2015, to ’celebrate’ Sri Krishna Janashtami, the saint-reformer, Sri Narayana Guru was shown in a tableau as being crucified and tugged by someone, holding a noose put around his neck. In a statement issued in protest, on September 6, 2015, Swami Prakashananda ji said: “Once EMS Namboodiripad had called the Guru a sycophant of the British. At that time, we opted to overlook it taking it as a sign of his
ignorance. But now we have been left with no option but to react when we see people like Pinarayi Vijayan justifying the act of showing the Guru in the most reprehensible manner, at a time when the people of the entire state have risen in protest against it.”
In the Mahabharata, during Damayanti’s Swayamvara, when she saw five Nalas instead of her beloved one, momentarily she was baffled. But when she intetly watched them, she could realise that the feet of the four imposters were not touching the ground, whereas the feet of the original Nala were firmly touching the ground, which cleared her doubt. So also, the Hindus in Kerala, who have experienced the deceit and deception of both the UDF and the LDF, are solidly standing behind the RSS with unswerving faith, knowing well that only the Sangh will stand by them in every eventuality.
(The writer is a senior columnist and former Managing Editor of Kesari)
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