Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) General Secretary Vellappally Natesan’s ongoing Sammathwa Munneta Yatra from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram has been dubbed a celebration of Hindu casteism by veteran CPI(M) leader VS Achuthanandan. “Why do you think Swami Vishweshwara Theertha, chief of the Pejawar Mutt, avoided handing over the flag to Vellappaly during the inauguration of the Yatra? Because he wanted to avoid the post-ablution required if he had even accidently touched the latter’s hand…untouchability issues, you see!”, taking a jibe at the Yogam supremo as well as the Pejawar head.

The Opposition leader was at his acerbic best when he suggested that Vellappally should seriously consider renaming his Yatra as the Chaturvarnya Samrakshna Yatra (Varna Quatret Conservation March) instead. He accused the SNDP leader of trying to bring back this outdated caste-system to Kerala shores. VS even referred to the obsolete practices of untouchability still observed in the Udipi temple which came under the aegis of the Pejawar math chief, who was himself a proponent of this achut philosophy which would -VS warned- have no takers in Kerala.