The Hindu : Kerala / Kollam News : Ezhavas being sidelined, says Vellappally

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kollam

Ezhavas being sidelined, says Vellappally

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, JUNE 9. The SNDP Yogam general secretary, Vellapally Natesan, has said that politicians in the State have drawn a `Lakshman rekha' for some communities and that such communities can progress only if they cross it.

Addressing a leadership meeting of the Kollam SNDP Union here today, he said that the Ezhava community was being sidelined. In such a situation, it was imperative that the SNDP branches change their style of functioning so as to enforce a new culture that would suit the genuine needs of the community, he said.

Mr. Natesan said that even political parties with just one or two MLAs were dictating the policies of the State. "When it comes to the law and order situation, violence reigns supreme even within the KPCC. Yet those involved in the violence are roaming free. Anywhere else such persons would have been nabbed within hours," he said.

Mr. Natesan said that in the name of group politics, the State was being ruined. The situation within the KPCC was not going to change with the visit of the party high command representatives to the State, he added.

The Devaswom secretary of the Yogam, M.B. Sreekumar, the president of the Kollam SNDP Union, Mohan Shankar, the convener of the union's regional development committee, R. Rajendran, and the Yogam assistant secretary, G. Sathyan, addressed the gathering.