CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan told in Delhi that he has not said that Ganapati is a myth. He says, Shemseer has not said so either. He said, people can worship Ganapati and Allah. It is a clear somersault, because, CPM is nervous about the Hindu backlash as happened in parliament polls in 2019 in the wake of the Hindu backlash in connection with Sabarimala agitation. During 2018 – 2019 Sabarimala season, CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) used police force and adapted several crooked methods to take women between the age of 10 and 50 to the Sabarimala shrine to break the temple traditions there. As a result, CPM had to content with one LS seat out 20 in the state. It appears, now, as the LS election is round the corner, hardly 10 months away, they are nervous. Most of the leaders are worried, but, do not dare to criticize Speaker Shemseer as he is the blue-eyed boy of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the party supremo. And, criticism against him will invite the wrath of Islamic forces; it will jeopardise the Muslim vote bank.
But, according to the latest reports, Mohammed Riaz, PWD minister and son-in-law of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has said that none has corrected Shemseer’s statement that Ganapati is a myth. On the other hand, he said, Nair Service Society (NSS) tries to create religious divide. That a junior minister can repudiate the party secretary indicates the clout he enjoys. Reacting to this, Dr. N.R. Madhu, chief editor of RSS-inspired “Kesari” Malayalam weekly, said that Kerala is ruled by a regime which follows Taliban style. Taliban is always against idol worship hence statements of Shemseer and Riaz. Kerala is growing as a Taliban haven. Dr. Madhu said, Mohammed Riaz speaks on behalf of the CM.
Reports from Delhi suggest that CPM Central Committee (CC) has resolved that Shemseer is right and there is no need of discussions on it. The same time, CC says, the state secretary has explained it. But, which stand of M.V. Govindan is the right one is yet to be explained by the CC itself. Because, what Govindan said in Thiruvananthapuram on August 2 was different from what he said in Delhi on August 4.
M.V. Govindan, talking to the newsmen at Delhi, on August 4, blamed Janam TV, pro-Hindu and nationalist Malayalam channel, for giving wrong news. (His hatred towards Janam TV is quite natural as it is the only channel which highlighted his bites supporting Shemseer, calling Ganapati a myth and refusing to call Allah a myth. He had even asserted that the question of apology from Shemseer does not arise). In the same breath, he says, namajapa yatra is the violation of law.
The rethinking is said to be the result of the latest scenario of RSS stepping into the arena. As the senior RSS pracharak S. Sethumadhavan and VHP leaders met, on August 3, the general secretary of NSS, the powerful community organization of (Hindu) Nairs, Vellappalli Nateshan, the general secretary of Sree Narayan Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), the strong community organisation of (Hindu) Ezhavas and as strong opposition has come up from the other Hindu community organisations, CPM is afraid of a pitiful repetition of 2019 in 2024 LS polls. The same Govindan had told in Thiruvananthapuram on August 2 that Ganapati is a myth and Allah is not.
But, NSS leadership opted not to reply Govindan. NSS asks if Shemseer is going to apologise to the Hindus. The organization is all set to move High Court against Shemseer’s blasphemous remarks and the police case against the participants of the peaceful namajapa yatra. NSS leaders said this as police has taken steps to proceed with the case against the participants of the namajapa yatra in Thiruvananthapuram. Notices are being served to the accused. There are reports that videos will be examined to arrest the participants.
NSS is gearing up for the next course of agitations. Its Director Board and General Council hold urgent meetings at its Head Quarters at Perunna, Kottayam district, on August 6 to deliberate the next step. The support of RSS, VHP, BJP and other Hindu orgaisations have beefed up the NSS’s fighting spirit.
BJP state president K. Surendran told the media at Kasaragod that CPM is on a deliberate Hindu baiting spree. He ridiculed the blasphemous comments of Shemseer and the support he gets from CPM. He asked, if Hindu Gods are myths, why do they man the Devaswom Boards, the bodies formed by the state government for the administration of the temples. Why do they collect and spend the monies from the temples? He asked the CM to break his silence in this contentious issue.
In the meantime, Swami Sachidananda, president of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, Varkkala, founded by legendary Sree Narayana Gurudev, told the media that devotees of Ganapati are hurt by the comments of Speaker A.N. Shemseer. The protestors cannot be blamed. Referring to the pro-Speaker stand of the CPM and the CPM-led government’s stand against the protesters, Swamiji said that they have their own system to follow. He added that CPM and the government should see that the issue does not inflame the society. Speaker should have been careful while making such comments. He indicated that Shemseer, who claims to be a secularist, should not have hurt the feelings of the devotees of Ganapati. He opined that government should have initiated the compromise.
Kerala Mala Araya Sabha, a community organisation of (Hindu) Malaya Araya section, has condemned Shemseer’s statement.
Kerala Pattika Jathi Pattika Varga Aikya Vedi (Kerala United Front of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) have blasted the Speaker for his Aanti-HIndu comments. Secretary Karamana Jayachandran said that CPM practises discrimination. They give scholarships to Muslim students. The revenue from temples is spent for government purposes. They do bring communal divide, not NSS. He demanded the resignation of the Speaker from the constitutional position.
Anti-Shemseer comments of various social and community leaders pour in
Meanwhile A.P. Jayan, Pathanamthitta district secretary of CPI, has reportedly replaced his FB profile picture with the image of Ganapati. Thus, once again the fissures within the LDF in this respect has been exposed.
Swami Satswaroopanandaji, the general secretary of Marga Darshak Mandal, told the media persons that they would meet the State Governor and submit a petition against Shemseer’s comments. The government has the responsibility to make sure that faiths are respected.
Not only Hindu leaders but also the leaders of other communities have come out with sharp reactions to Shemseer’s venomous comments against Hindu Gods. Latest leader is Adv. Biju Oommen, Secretary of Orthodox Church. Adv. Oommen told the media that the people who hold constitutional positions should not hurt the religious feelings of anyone. The Speaker should not have said so. The statements capable of generating communal feelings are not acceptable.
