"Moves to turn Tipu Sultan's raids and Malabar Rebellion into war of independence"

CHERTHALA: "Attempts to turn Tipu's raids of looting and killing the people and temples, and the Malabar rebellion of slashing, stabbing and harassing women, into a freedom struggle happened. Behind this is the influence of organised religious power," said SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellapally Natesan. He was delivering the presiding speech at the SNDP Yogam Cherthala Union Branch Leaders' Meeting.

"Mahakavi Kumaran Asan, who was directly affected by the Malabar rebellion, has painted its true picture in his poem Duravastha. Today's Kerala politics is distorted when it comes to Malappuram. It is not secularism, but the great dominance of a section that is taking place. The Muslim League has a history of deceiving when it came to power after fighting together. When it comes to the community and the common people, there is an organised movement to shame and shush."

"We are going through a time when those who speak of caste are the most acceptable and those who speak of secularism are isolated. Whether it is in the Panchayat, the Legislative Assembly or the Parliament, the votes of the community members should now go only to those who love, accept and help the community. Only those movements that give the Ezhavas due representation will be supported in return.

"Only when the vote has value will the community and its members have value. Every member of the Ezhava community should be able to say with self-confidence that he is an Ezhava born from an Ezhatha. No matter which way the power-hungry people move, the movement's momentum lies in the strength provided by the community members as a whole," said Vellappally Natesan.