Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan sparked controversy by calling a television journalist a 'terrorist' and accusing the Indian Union Muslim League of conspiring to incite communal riots in Kerala. He also alleged barriers to opening educational institutions for social outfits in Malappuram district.
Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam and a prominent Ezhava community leader, stirred controversy on Friday during a media interaction at his residence. A vocal critic of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, particularly its key ally the Indian Union Muslim League, Natesan has long accused the party of obstructing social outfits like the SNDP from establishing educational institutions in Malappuram district.
He claimed that the SNDP operates only one unaided college there, compared to 48 run by the IUML. Natesan alleged that the IUML is fostering anti-Ezhava sentiments within the Muslim community, engineering religious divisions, and plotting to ignite communal riots reminiscent of the 2003 Marad clashes in Kozhikode, where nine people died in the state's last major such incident. "The IUML is trying to spread anti-Ezhava sentiments within the Muslim community, create religious divisions and stoke communal riots," he said. He added that annual SNDP applications to open new institutions in Malappuram are routinely rejected.
The remarks escalated when Natesan labeled a television journalist a "terrorist," prompting backlash from the media. Pressed for clarification, he responded, "I have information that he is involved in terrorist activities. He wanted me to make a communal speech in Sivagiri so that it can be circulated widely online. He has been in the past a member of the MSF." The Muslim Students Federation is the IUML's student wing. The exchange led to a heated war of words with reporters.
Opposition Leader VD Satheesan condemned Natesan, accusing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of deploying him as a proxy to sow communal discord. "When the UDF was in power, permissions for numerous institutions were granted to the Yogam and SN Trust. He himself has praised the government at the time," Satheesan said. He claimed the CM is using such figures to divide society. Neither the CPI(M) nor Vijayan has responded to the comments yet.
