Vellappally Natesan doubles down on ‘Malappuram a separate nation’ remark despite outrage

Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellappally Natesan has courted controversy after his remarks, terming Kerala’s Malappuram district as a “separate nation” or a “separate state of certain people”, stirred up a political storm.

 

While the Congress and its ally the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) condemned his remark, the BJP has come out in support of the Ezhava leader. The CPI(M), which enjoys the majority support of the Ezhava community in the state, has distanced itself from his remarks.

 

On Sunday, Natesan said he stood by his statement and would not withdraw even a word. He reiterated that the backward communities were being denied social, political, educational, and economic justice in Malappuram.

 

Around 56 per cent of the population in the district is Muslim.

 

Natesan accused the IUML of trying to portray him as “anti-Muslim” and said he did not say anything against the community. 

 

"What did I say against the Muslim community? In my recent speech, I merely stated that there is no social justice in Malappuram. That is the truth,” he said.

 

Accusing the media of “selectively amplifying” parts of his speech, Natesan said the Ezhava community deserved its rightful share of opportunities.

 

"I am not against any community. I have not made any hate remarks. It is true that our community does not even have a crematorium in Malappuram. They are living like slaves there," he alleged.

 

What Natesan said

 

Addressing a convention at Chungathara near Nilambur, Natesan alleged that people belonging to the backward community were living under constant fear in Malappuram.

 

"I think, you (community members) cannot live here speaking your independent opinion. Malappuram is a separate nation...or a separate state of certain people,” he said.

 

UDF hits back

 

The IUML, an ally of the Congress, condemned Natesan’s remarks and asked him to explain the difficulties being faced by the other communities in Malappuram.

 

Senior IUML leader M.K. Muneer said Natesan was trying to please the BJP to gain national attention.

 

"There is an agenda to please the BJP. People have become too narrow-minded to think that they would get national attention if they spoke something against Malappuram," he said.

 

Muneer described Malappuram as the land of communal harmony while lamenting that the district had been targeted by certain people for some time now.

 

The Congress also lambasted Natesan’s remarks and demanded Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take action against him.

 

BJP supports

 

The BJP Kerala unit has come out in strong support of Natesan, saying there was nothing wrong with his statements.

 

"What he said was true. Democracy cannot flourish where demography follows a specific trend. Secularism won't thrive either. If this continues, democracy and secularism are in danger in Kerala," senior BJP leader and party’s former state president K. Surendran said.

India