The Nair Service Society (NSS), a prominent socio-cultural organization in Kerala, has firmly stated it will uphold its traditional stance of maintaining an equal distance from all political parties during the forthcoming state assembly elections. The announcement was made by the organization's General Secretary, G Sukumaran Nair.
Clarifying Stance on Politics and Sabarimala
Speaking ahead of a public meeting held at the NSS headquarters in Perunna on Friday, as part of the Mannam Jayanthi celebrations, Nair provided crucial clarifications. He emphasized that the NSS maintains its policy of 'samadooram' or equidistance in all matters, with one significant exception: the Sabarimala issue.
"NSS maintained a right distance only on the Sabarimala issue and asked not to mix this stand with politics," Nair stated. He sought to delineate the organization's firm position on the temple controversy from its broader political neutrality, indicating that the Sabarimala stance was a specific, principle-based deviation.
A Shift in Public Engagement
In a notable departure from previous years, the organization did not extend invitations to any political leaders to share the stage during the Mannam Jayanthi function. Nair explained this decision while welcoming guests at the public meeting.
He remarked that the NSS has not been opposed to any political party since it stepped away from direct political involvement. However, he pointedly observed that many renowned political leaders often mispronounced the name of Mannathu Padmanabhan, the revered founder of NSS. Nair asserted that only those who could speak knowledgeably and respectfully about Mannam's legacy deserved an invitation.
Call for a Gandhian Revival
The public meeting was inaugurated by Cyriac Thomas, the former vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University. In his address, Thomas issued a powerful call to action, highlighting an "organized defamation" of Mahatma Gandhi currently taking place in the country.
He argued that a second liberation struggle is necessary to reclaim Gandhi's ideals and suggested that the NSS should spearhead this movement. Thomas rooted this appeal in history, noting that Mannathu Padmanabhan was a committed Gandhian.
"When NSS was formed, he appointed another Gandhian, K Kelappan, as president. Mannam and Kelappan led the Guruvayur and Vaikom satyagrahas due to their national consciousness. Both remained secularists until their last breath," Thomas stated, connecting the organization's foundational values to the present need for ideological defense.
The collective statements from the event underscore the NSS's intent to navigate the charged political landscape of Kerala with declared neutrality, while simultaneously reinforcing its core social and ideological commitments ahead of the electoral battle.
