Congress and IUML pressure government to hold Vellapally Natesan accountable for ‘stoking' social schisms
The tense relationship between the IUML-Congress leadership and Mr Natesan escalated on Saturday (July 19, 2025), with him, as the general secretary of the electorally significant Hindu backwards class organisation, stating that the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) were equally beholden to the Muslim community's growing electoral and economic heft and, hence, hostage to minority vote bank politics.
Mr Natesan also stated that the IUML planned to expand its presence in Central and South Kerala and would seek more seats in the 2026 Assembly polls with an eye on the Chief Minister's post.
Mr Natesan's remarks drew harsh criticism from the IUML mouthpiece, Chandrika.
In an editorial on Sunday (July 20, 2025), Chandrika termed Mr Natesan a dated community leader who spewed 'communal venom' to 'claw back socio-political relevance'.
The newspaper compared Mr. Natesan to Praveen Togadia, an outspoken advocate of Hindu nationalism.
The Chandrika noted that the country's secular constitution did not ban people of any faith, including Muslims, from holding high constitutional office. Chandrika alleged that Sree Narayana Guru's humanist philosophy and teachings were anathema to Mr. Natesan.
The IUML national general secretary, P K Kunhalikutty, emphasised that it was the responsibility of the LDF government to act against individuals who exploit the bully pulpit of influential social organisations to cause communal divisions in Kerala's secular society.
He avoided addressing whether the police should charge Mr Natesan with enmity between communities and instead placed the burden on the government to 'determine the proper course of action'.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleged that Mr Natesan raised dog whistle issues, such as caste and religion, at the behest of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He accused the CPI(M) of sending a subtly aimed political message through Mr Natesan to galvanise the majority community votes by othering minorities. Mr Sathesan accused the CPI(M) of sacrificing secularism at the altar of political expediency.
Meanwhile, Mr Natesan dug his heels in on his earlier stance on Sunday (July 20, 2025). Mr Natesan said he had merely stated the truth and was willing to 'be jailed or politically hounded for it'.
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