Cracks develop in CM’s ‘women’s wall’

Thiruvananthapuram: In December 2016, the state government celebrated with fanfare the centenary of ‘Namukku Jaathi Illa’ (We have no caste) proclamation by Sree Narayana Guru. Two years down the line, the same government lined up over 100 Hindu caste organizations to construct a ‘women’s wall’ to defend the state’s renaissance values.
The fizz of the ambitious plan of the government, formulated in a meeting attended by 176 organisations – most of them paper bodies - was taken out by a few attendees who openly came out against the decision within hours of taking that. Adding to the woes was the allegations levelled against Hindu Parliament leader C P Sugathan who was named as the joint convener of the executive committee selected for protecting renaissance values. Sugathan, who has a history of making provocative comments on religious issues, was among those who had prevented women journalists at Nilackal when Sabarimala temple opened for Thulam month pooja.

However, the government has decided to move ahead with the project for parading a million women along the national highway on the New Year Day, ignoring the questions posed by the opposition whether it is proper for a secular government to engage with Hindu organizations alone for protecting renaissance. SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan and KPMS leader Punnala Sreekumar who can bring scores of their cadres to the movement are spearheading the campaign.

The concept of women’s wall received the first setback within the meeting itself as Samoohika Samatva Munnani (Social Equality Front) comprising 52 caste organizations said they wouldn’t be joining the campaign. “It is something related to one’s belief and we can see that believing women don’t want to visit Sabarimala at younger ages. Despite the Supreme Court order, TDB doesn’t allow a non-Brahmin priest to work at Sabarimala. If the government is serious about renaissance, it must address this issue first”, said VSDP chairman Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan.

Kerala Brahmana Sabha president Karimpuzha Raman who attended the meeting said his organization which was a petitioner in the SC challenging entry of women of all ages to Sabarimala could in no way support any campaign that bats for Sabarimala women entry. The NSS which boycotted the meeting slammed the government move and termed it as a step to divide the society along communal lines.