Kerala CM’s Comments on Sanatan Dharma Ignite Political Controversy
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma have triggered a political storm, with BJP leader V Muraleedharan questioning the Congress party’s conflicting stance on the issue.
BJP Criticizes Congress’s Contradictory Position
V Muraleedharan pointed out the disparity within Congress, noting that while the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly opposed Vijayan’s comments, the Kerala Congress president appeared to endorse them.
“Even while the Congress leader of Kerala and the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly disagrees with the Chief Minister’s comments on Sanatan Dharma and opposes the term of saffronization, his own party president of Kerala has supported the statement of the Chief Minister that Sanatan Dharma is nothing but bringing back monarchy and bringing back casteism,” Muraleedharan said.
The BJP leader also sought clarity on Congress’s official stance, stating that Vijayan’s comments were an affront to Hindu philosophy.
“I would like to know what Congress stands on this. There is a huge issue that has come up in Kerala where the Chief Minister of the state has tried to malign the Hindu philosophy,” he said.
Vijayan’s Remarks at Sivagiri Pilgrimage
Earlier this week, during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage, Pinarayi Vijayan criticized attempts to associate social reformer Sree Narayana Guru with Sanatan Dharma.
“Sanatana Dharma is synonymous with or inseparable from Varnashrama Dharma, which is based on the Chaturvarna system. What does this Varnashrama Dharma uphold? It glorifies hereditary professions. But what did Sree Narayana Guru do? He called for defiance of hereditary professions. How, then, can Guru be an advocate of Sanatana Dharma?” Vijayan said.
He further elaborated that Guru’s philosophy, encapsulated in the slogan “One Caste, One Religion, One God for humankind,” directly opposed caste-based systems inherent in Sanatan Dharma.
Political Implications
The debate over Vijayan’s comments has escalated into a larger political tussle between the BJP and Congress in Kerala. While the BJP accuses Vijayan of maligning Hindu philosophy, the Congress appears divided on its response.
This controversy highlights the enduring sensitivity around issues of religion and caste in Indian politics, particularly in Kerala, where leaders frequently invoke Sree Narayana Guru’s legacy to appeal to voters.