Kerala Hindu caste leader Vellappally Natesan sparked political discussion with his recent remarks highlighting the strength of unity within India’s Christian community. Speaking at a gathering in Alappuzha, Natesan, who serves as the General Secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam and is a key figure among the Ezhava community, stated that despite comprising just two per cent of the country’s population, Christians have shown how a small but united group can wield considerable political influence.
His comments were made in the context of the recent arrest of two Christian nuns in Chhattisgarh. Natesan noted that the Christian community, despite internal denominational differences, stood together in protest, forcing political leaders across party lines to react swiftly and visibly. “Everyone – the Left, the Right, and even the BJP – rushed to support them. Even BJP leaders were seen running around to express solidarity,” he said, adding that such a show of unity compelled political attention and response.
He contrasted this with the perceived lack of cohesion within his own community, the Ezhavas – the largest Hindu caste group in Kerala. Referring to the teachings of the 19th-century social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, who inspired the community’s social upliftment, Natesan lamented that the Ezhavas had not effectively organised themselves to exert similar political clout. “Had we followed our Guru and stood united, we could have achieved far more,” he said.
Natesan clarified that his intention was not to comment on the legal merits of the nuns’ arrest, but to draw attention to the political weight that unity can bring, regardless of a group’s size. His remarks serve both as a call for introspection within Kerala’s Hindu caste communities and a commentary on the power dynamics that come with communal solidarity in Indian politics.
