Pressure is mounting on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to tender an apology for allegedly insulting social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.
Vijayan did not stand up while ‘Guru stuthi’ (song in praise of Sree Narayana Guru) was recited during a function at the SN College at Kannur the other day. Though former minister Kadanapally Ramachandran, sitting close to Vijayan, was about to stand up, the chief minister allegedly stopped him from doing so. All others, including CPM local leaders, stood up while ‘Guru stuthi’ was recited.
Congress and BJP leaders in Kerala had already flayed the chief minister’s gesture and demanded his apology.
Sree Narayana Sahodara Dharma Vedi, a forum following Sree Narayana Guru’s ideologies, has also demanded an apology. The forum’s office bearers alleged that Vijayan not only insulted the ‘Guru stuthi’ but also made the former minister too to insult by stopping him from standing up.
A strong campaign is also going on social media accusing Vijayan of insulting the social reformer from the prominent Hindu-Ezhava community.