Caste Reservation and Nairs

By KR.Viswanathan Pillai

I quote here ,what Lord Wellington said,about Nairs “I like to see these nairs who never care their lives who lead an army of similar people even against mighty ocean of enemies and fight to win like a hell-fire’ What he said is very much true to the present context. I think Nairs never care very much for themselves. Earlier in 19th centuary they were to fight for Kings. Now they have to fight like ‘hell-fire’ for their existence.

Nairs are intelligent and blessed with talents. Many are well placed in national and international levels. Caste has remained an important factor in the Indian political system, primarily because of the politics of appeasement. The social and economical order of the world has become more complex.The life style of the people are fast changing.Economies of many developing countries like India, China etc are catching up with the developed countries. Every one looks for a better life. Inclusion of rich and influential people in caste based reservation is creating more social problems.

NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY.

Who is responsible for the classification of Nairs as forward? Several communities in many states of similar social and economical status of Nairs were classified as backward. The Nair Service Society a social organisation created in Kerala for the enlistment and welfare of the Nairs in Kerala in 1914.It was established by a great visionary Sri Mannathu Padmanabhan.He set up hundreds of karayogam /units of NSS. With his persistence, tireless efforts, and farsightedness the NSS started several educational institutions, hospitals, and socially beneficial programmes all over the State. NSS could not do much, to alleviate the sufferings of several poor Nair families in Kerala.

NSS consolidated and maintained the unity of Nair community. Several Nair families have to depend only on the crippled income from the lands of their own. Only a very few meritorious boys and girls could get admission in reputed higher educational institutions like IITs, AIIMS etc. Caste discriminations in our democratic society have led to emotional distress in these young people. The young boys and girls are pushed to a corner in their life on caste reasons. A few Nairs were fortunate enough to grab some jobs outside Kerala. Inside the State opportunities for jobs for Nairs are diminishing. It is same for others also.

I am at pains to write that Kerala invites industrialist with union flags, and bandhs. But other states provide slew of concessions to the industries and provide job opportunities for million of youngsters.

CASTE RESERVATION.

The people of India mainly Hindus are divided into many castes and sub-castes, as a result of centuries of practicing a form of social hierarchy called the.caste systems. Proponents of reservation policy says that the traditional caste system, as it is practised, leads to severe oppression and seggregation of freedoms, including education of people of lower strata.

Caste oppression, may be true at present against Dalits and most backwards. The rich in the socalled backward class communities practise the same caste discrmination against the Dalits and most backwards but reap the maximum benefit of reservation..The discrimination against the lower strata of the people by the socalled influential and rich backward communites are continuing with immpunity. The benefit of caste reservations is taken away by the rich in the backward community.The poor in these communities remains to be poor. The poor in all communties irrespective of the so called ‘forward or backward or religion’ should get the benefit of reservation in educations and jobs.

The Gujjar agitation is a lesson for the protagonists of caste and religion-based reservation. No government will dare to remove any caste from the reservation list even after 1000 years, and even after the so-called backward communities become forward. It is my opinion that caste base reservation should be abolished,. and economically weaker sections in any community should get the benefit of reservation.

The NSS in Kerala has taken a stand to be a non political social organization. It is time to change and start a new political party in Kerala for Nairs. Political bargaining powers of Nairs should be a force to be reckoned with in Kerala politics.. The poor Nairs are also to be enlisted as economically backward class and the benefit of reservation should be available to them also. So long as caste is a dominating force in politics, there is nothing wrong in having a separate political party for Nairs. I strongly believe that the National political parties in India should dominate in decision making, in the States and in the Central. At the same time the influence of regional political parties or caste based parties in governance of States or Central is a reality.

TAMIL NADU NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY (TNSS)

The people of ancient Kerala, which constituted the ancient territories of the Cheras spoke the Tamil language and had extensive interaction with the rest of the Tamil Nadu. It was only towards the ninth or the tenth centuries, their individual identity and language began to evolve to Malayalam after the influence of Aryans settlement in the west of Sahyadri A number of sociologists are of the view that the Nairs are not indigenous to Kerala and they migrated to Kerala in the 9th century as many customs and traditions distinguish them from others in Kerala. Nairs played an amazing role in the social ,cultural and ethical life of the medieval Kerala

In Tamil Nadu alone there are around six lakhs Nairs mainly spread in Kanyakumari district and in Chennai. Almost all of them consider Tamil Nadu as their home state. Their contribution to social and economical field in Tamil Nadu is immence..They maintain harmonious relation with all other communities in Tamil Nadu. They also have continious interaction with their realations in Kerala.

The TNSS has to spread its wings to all parts of the State and should enroll almost all Nairs in its fold. TNSS remains only as social organisation . Certain castes which are forward in Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh are backward in Kerala.The argument against Nairs, is that when Nairs are forward in Kerala how could Nairs in Tamil Nadu be backward.?.

A Commission for Economically Backward Classes, is appointed by Central Government to elecit the suggestions of State Governments on the criteria for identitying the economically backward classes and recommending measures and quantum of reservation in education and government employment. Will the poor Nair be included in the list as per the new criteria?

TNSS is at present in its infant stage. How long it remains to be infant?. It is time to grow.It needs more members ,more money to work with. At present the office bearers are hard pressed for want of money to own an office at Chennai. The very rich in the Nair community have not yet been identified or enrolled. I hope TNSS will be soon become a powerful social organisation in Tamil Nadu.