Kerala Congress (B) leader Ganesh Kumar steps up criticism of NSS chief, rules out legal battle
Kerala Congress (B) leader K.B. Ganesh Kumar on Thursday stepped up his criticism of NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair, questioning his handling of the
Kerala Congress (B) leader K.B. Ganesh Kumar on Thursday stepped up his criticism of NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair, questioning his handling of the organisation and raising allegations regarding certain appointments and financial transactions. Talking to reporters here, the former Minister said he had no intention of initiating a legal battle against Mr. Nair and would instead raise his allegations before the “people’s court.” “I will not file a case. I will say what I have to say before the people’s court,” Mr. Kumar said, asserting that his objective was not to remove Mr. Nair from the post of NSS general secretary. He was responding to Mr. Nair’s statement that Mr. Kumar should pursue legal means if he had any objections to the functioning of the NSS.
Kumar alleged that Mr. Nair’s relatives had been appointed to key positions in various NSS-run institutions. He raised questions about certain financial transactions involving a bank and the present ownership of a college in Tamil Nadu that was earlier owned by the NSS. Kumar alleged that Mr. Nair had acted against democratic norms by dissolving the NSS Pathanapuram Taluk Union, which he headed, despite claiming the support of a majority of its members. Kumar said he had stood by the NSS leadership for the past four years, following the advice of his late father, R. Balakrishna Pillai. However, he alleged that recent developments had made it necessary to initiate a “revolution” within the organisation.
“I don’t want the post of general secretary or president of the NSS. I want everyone to have the opportunity to visit Mannam Samadhi,” he said, referring to the memorial of NSS founder Mannath Padmanabhan. He was apparently referring to a recent row over the NSS leadership denying permission to Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan to visit the samadhi. Kumar alleged that attempts were being made to intimidate him by dissolving karayogams (local NSS units) in the Pathanapuram taluk. He said he would question what he described as the “undemocratic” manner in which the unions were being dissolved. At the same time, Mr. Kumar said he did not want to destroy the NSS and urged its members not to leave the organisation.
The latest criticism came weeks after the NSS decided not to reappoint Mr. Kumar to its board of directors after his tenure ended. The decision followed tensions between Mr. Kumar and the organisation over the dissolution of the NSS Pathanapuram Taluk Union committee after a majority of its members resigned. Nair subsequently clarified that Mr. Kumar’s tenure on the NSS board had ended and that he had not been selected for another term. The NSS, a prominent organisation representing the Nair community, inducted Mr. Kumar, who heads the Kerala Congress (B), into its board in 2023.
The BriefWire