Thiruvananthapuram, January 2, 2025
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly refuted claims made by a BJP leader who suggested that social reformer Sree Narayana Guru was a proponent of ‘Sanatana Dharma’. The CM dismissed the statement as inaccurate, stressing that Sree Narayana Guru’s philosophy was based on social equality and unity, not the traditionalist principles of ‘Sanatana Dharma’.
The controversy erupted when a senior BJP leader recently stated that Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings aligned with the tenets of ‘Sanatana Dharma’, a position that has sparked debate within the state. In response, CM Vijayan clarified that Sree Narayana Guru’s work, which focused on uplifting the oppressed and promoting religious tolerance, was fundamentally against caste-based discrimination and the rigid structures of Hindu orthodoxy.
“Sree Narayana Guru believed in the principles of social justice, equality, and secularism, which stand in contrast to the narrow and exclusionary views of ‘Sanatana Dharma’. To associate him with such an ideology is not only incorrect but also undermines the true spirit of his teachings,” Vijayan said in a statement.
The controversy has sparked a political backlash, with various groups in Kerala and across India criticizing the BJP’s attempt to align Sree Narayana Guru’s progressive views with traditional Hindu orthodoxy. Supporters of the Kerala CM have rallied behind his stance, urging a more accurate understanding of the Guru’s teachings.
The BJP leader, who made the original claim, has not yet responded to the CM’s remarks, but political observers suggest this could further intensify the ongoing ideological divide in Kerala’s political landscape, especially with upcoming elections on the horizon.
