UDF leaders meet Sonia Gandhi and urge her to resolve issues

“Sadly caste discrimination still exists and we still have much work to do in the area”. He said this while responding to Sonia’s statement at the inaugural function of the Sivagiri pilgrimage yesterday. She said it would be a betrayal of social reformer Sree Narayan guru’s teachings if SNDP were to be led astray from its principal purposes in pursuit of aggrandisement by some individuals.

The comments were made by Gandhi during her visit to the Sivagiri mutt in Varkala, Kerela, around two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the mutt on December 15 to pay homage to Narayana Guru.

She said that the Guru’s principles of equality, liberty and social justice are more relevant today than ever before.

Gandhi said the Guru believed in respect to all faiths and motivated his followers to respect all religions.

The Sivagiri Mutt is a major spiritual-cum-pilgrim centre of the Ezhava community in Kerala.

Gandhi at one point of time stuttered a little, but maintained poise and composure, and finished her speech.

She said that the Guru had established the SNDP Yogam to educate, organize and strengthen the weaker sections of society.

Kerala BJP today alleged protocol breach in the inauguration of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology at Pambady in Kottayam, attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. “Guru called upon people to start industries, establish educational institutions and earn money to bring about social equality and financial stability in society, lifting all to a higher level”, he said.

Among the senior leaders who called on her at the Government Guest House here were former state finance minister K.M. Mani (Kerala Congress-Mani), P.K. Kunhalikutty (Indian Union Muslim League), M.P. Veerendra Kumar (Janata Dal-United), N.K. Premachandran MP (RSP), and Anup Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob).

Sonia also recalled the appointment of R. Sankar, an Ezhava leader, as chief minister by the Congress in 1962.