Kerala CM cautions against 'divisive forces'

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 7 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday cautioned against deliberate attempts of vested interests to create division in society by spreading communalism.

Some people propagate that caste is greater than humanity and such ideas are gaining strength even in Kerala which had once uprooted the superstitious beliefs and evil practices spread by religion and caste, he said in a Facebook post.

Vijayan's remarks came while remembering 20th-century saint-social reformer Sree Narayana Guru on his 171st birth anniversary.

The CM, in his FB post, remembered Guru as a great reformer who taught people to get united and enlightened through knowledge and rise above caste and creed.

But, communal forces are, nowadays, attempting to appropriate the legacy of Narayana Guru, who has been a guiding light for the state, he said.

"Sree Narayana Guru was a great reformer who always opposed communalism. Guru taught not to divide people, but to unite them. Guru's words and actions were not limited to any one religion or caste. They were for the entire mankind," Vijayan said.

The Left veteran further remembered Guru as a reformer who strongly questioned upper caste dominance and social evils and took a firm stand against caste-based atrocities and economic exploitation.

Stating that it is an occasion when deliberate attempts are being made to spread communalism in the society and divide people, he said Sree Narayana Guru's teachings and stories of struggles would give people the strength to overcome such a menace.

"On the birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru, we remember the great reformer who taught us to unite, enlighten through knowledge, and rise above caste & creed. His vision of humanity as one continues to inspire Kerala's renaissance and guide us against divisive forces," the CM said in a 'X' post. PTI LGK ADB