The Congress appeared outwardly unperturbed on Saturday (September 27) about the Nair Service Society’s (NSS) apparent support for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s stated “commitment” to protect Sabarimala’s traditional customs, which had come into question following the 2018 Supreme Court order allowing the entry of women into the ancient and iconic Ayyappa temple.When asked whether it was not important to “mend fences” with the NSS in a crucial election year, given the social organisation’s criticism of Congress’s “ambivalent line” on Sabarimala, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan deemed the question irrelevant.‘No fallout with NSS’“The Congress has no fallout with the NSS. It has not faulted the NSS for participating in the LDF-sponsored Global Ayyappa Sangamam. He said the decision of various Hindu social organisations to attend or stay away from the Sangamam did not trouble the Congress,” he stated.Mr. Satheesan underscored that the Congress will not go back on its “informed political decision” not to cooperate with the LDF’s Sabarimala policy.He also sought to portray the Sangamam as an election-era antic underwritten by taxpayers’ money.“The government’s commitment to protect temple traditions rings hollow. The CPI(M) is pointedly hesitant to withdraw trumped-up criminal charges slapped unfairly against hundreds of Ayyappa devotees, including women, who protested the LDF’s trespasses on Sabarimala traditions in 2018. Notably, the ruling front is patently unwilling to withdraw the government’s affidavit endorsing the entry of women into Sabarimala,” he added.‘Majority communalism’Mr. Satheesan accused the CPI(M) of using the Sangamam as a political bully pulpit to court majority communalism. “The government celebrated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s blessings at the meeting. It feted a leader who regularly spewed invective against minorities. The CPI(M) had subverted the Sangamam to broadcast a pronounced Hindu majoritarian drift after its attempt to court minority votes fell flat,” he said.Disconcertingly for the Congress, the NSS had pointedly criticised the party’s alleged pivot towards minorities and a “perceptible indifference” towards majority community concerns. The SNDP Yogam had also expressed a similar sentiment.Recently, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal had underscored the need to reach out to the NSS by stating that the “party would rectify miscommunication if any”.Moreover, Congress also reportedly recognised the need to effectively counter CPI(M)‘s attempt to interpret NSS’s qualified support for Sabarimala development and protection of faith as unreserved political backing for the LDF in the crucial election year.Notably, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan had claimed on Friday that the Congress’s “misplaced belief” that Hindu social organisations were perennially opposed to the LDF lay in tatters, given their support for the LDF’s Devaswom policy. Published - September 27, 2025 07:31 pm IST