CPM toughens stand against NSS, police registers case against protest procession

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM led government in Kerala toughened its stand against the Nair Service Society (NSS) registering a case in connection with their nama japa ghoshayatra protest march held in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

The case was registered against more than 1000 identifiable people who took part in the procession. NSS vice president M Sangeetkumar who is the first accused in the case, said the organization will fight the case legally.

According to the FIR, the gang unlawfully assembled in violation of the police directive, operated the mic set, disrupted pedestrians and vehicular traffic. NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair slammed the government for registering the case against their organization. "If this is the manner in which they are acting then the state government will have to register cases against all believers. We will not back down from the protest on the issue of faith," he said.

Congress leader Thiruvanachoor Radhakrishnan, MLA, said the government's stand was contradictory. The case seems to have been registered in a preconceived manner. The government appears to have lost its mind as it wants to keep the controversy alive instead of resolving it amicably.

Meanwhile, RSS and VHP leaders called on NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair on Thursday and discussed the issues related to the Speaker's remarks.

The ruling CPM in Kerala on Wednesday had outrightly rejected Nair Service Society (NSS) and BJP’s demand for Shamsheer’s apology in connection with his remarks on Lord Ganesha and Pushpaka Vimana.

CPM state secretary M V Govindan said the CPM had never taken a stand against religious beliefs. The CPM is protecting the democratic rights of all believers and non-believers and it will continue to take this position always, he said.

Govindan said there is a definite communal agenda behind the BJP targeting Shamsheer.

Shamsheer made the controversial remarks at the Vidya Jyothi event held at Kunnathunadu GHSS on July 21. In his speech, Shamseer said that instead of talking about achievements in the field of science and technology, attempts were being made to teach the children the myths of Hindu mythology. It is being established that infertility treatment, aircraft and plastic surgery all existed in ancient Hindutva period.

The Speaker said efforts were being made to establish that the first aircraft was a pushpaka vimana. "Science is not Ganapati and pushpaka vimana. Those are myths. The superstitions of the Hindutva era will push back progressive ideas. In the era of Artificial Intelligence, all these were mere myths," he said.