Even if Kanthapuram throws a spear at me, I’ll still speak up: SNDP leader Vellappally defends communal remarks amid backlash

Alappuzha/Malappuram: SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan is facing mounting criticism for his recent comments suggesting that Kerala’s Muslim community is using its growing population to influence the state administration. The remarks, made during a meeting of SNDP union leaders in Kottayam, have drawn flak from political and religious quarters, with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) accusing him of stoking communal fears.

Vellappally had stated that Muslims were on the path to becoming the majority in Kerala, and that once this happens, the government would have no choice but to “listen to Kanthapuram (A P Aboobacker Musliyar) and govern accordingly”. Despite the outrage, the SNDP leader remained defiant. “Even if Kanthapuram throws a spear at me, I will still speak up for social justice,” he said at a press interaction in Alappuzha.

He rejected accusations of communalism, claiming he was speaking on behalf of the backward communities that entrusted him with leadership. “I’ve never sought any post. But if I speak up about the lack of representation for backward communities, why am I called a communalist?” he asked, pointing out that none of the nine MPs recently nominated from Kerala belong to these communities.

Vellappally also accused his detractors of trying to weaken the political voice of the Ezhava community and criticised calls for his removal from the state’s Renaissance Protection Committee. “None of those demanding my ouster appointed me in the first place. So I said, forget it,” he remarked.

In response, the IUML’s Malappuram district committee launched a scathing attack, saying Vellappally was better suited to lead the RSS than the SNDP Yogam — an organisation founded on the inclusive ideals of Sree Narayana Guru. The committee said his comments insulted Guru’s legacy of interfaith harmony and accused him of promoting division while mocking backward communities with performative statements.

The IUML further pointed out that fears of Muslims dominating politics were unfounded. “It was the people of Malappuram who helped A K Antony become Chief Minister by electing him from a Muslim-majority seat. Christians, too, have had multiple Chief Ministers. So what’s the problem if a Muslim ever leads the state?” the party asked.

As the row deepens, Vellappally’s remarks have placed him at the centre of a growing controversy over caste, representation and communal rhetoric in Kerala politics.