Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Minister and Communist leader MB Rajesh stoked a controversy when he claimed that Hindu Vedic philosopher Adi Shankaracharya was an advocate and spokesperson of a "cruel caste system".

The Minister drew a parallel between Shankaracharya and Sree Narayana Gurudeva and said that Narayana criticised Shankaracharya and is an 'acharya' in Kerala.

Speaking at a programme of Varkala Sivagiri Mutt, Rajesh said, "If Kerala has an acharya, it's Sree Narayana guru and not Adi Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya was an advocate of the cruel caste system that is based on Manusmriti. Sree Narayana guru worked to weed out the caste system. Shankaracharya has not only supported the caste system but has also been its spokesperson."

Rajesh also said that Sree Narayana Guru has criticised Shankaracharya, who supported the caste system.

Citing Narayana, the Minister said that Shankaracharya is responsible for the caste system being entrenched in society.

"Now there are some interpretations that after Shankaracharya it's Sree Narayana guru. No. Guru is someone who has criticised Shankaracharya. Sree Narayana guru has said that the caste system has engulfed people and Shankaracharya is also responsible for that," he claimed.

Meanwhile, MoS V Muraleedharan in a statement said that Adi Shankaracharya and Sree Narayana Gurudeva belonged to the same Indian lineage and have put forward the same vision.

"MB Rajesh tried to create division in Hinduism," Muraleedharan said.

"This false propaganda is a cunning trick of the CPM to win the votes of a section by creating a sawarna-avarna mentality. The efforts to insult Shankaracharya will be dismissed with the contempt they deserve," the Minister added. ANI