In a surprising statement from a minister of a Communist government, Kerala minister Kadakampally Surendran said that Brahmins were the victims of Kerala's well- known land reforms.
The minister for Tourism and Cooperation made the statement while addressing a meeting of Sree Pushpaka Brahmana Seva Sangham, a forum of Brahmins, in Malappuram district on Saturday.
“Thousands of people in the state do not have a place to live even after the land reforms was introduced. Brahmins were left to bear the brunt of it. Lakhs of acres owned by a few were handed over to thousands of landless people,” the minister said.
It was the first democratically elected government in the state led by CPI (M) stalwart EMS Namboothirpad, which introduced the land reforms. A historical act, it is believed to have paved the way for the socio-economic reforms in the state. The first Left government in the state, which is also the first elected Communist government in the world, came to power in 1957.
It shall also be noted that the state is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its first government. While inaugurating the 60th anniversary of the first government on April 5. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had in fact said that Land Reforms Act implemented by the EMS government had virtually led to the social and economic wellbeing of the state.
Regarding reservation, Kadakampally Surendran, who represents Kazhakuttam constituency in the Assembly called for "economic reservation for weaker section in all the communities.”
He urged for reservation based on economic conditions rather than caste. Later in the day, the minister's office issued statement clarifying his comments on reservation. "Giving reservation for the economically weaker sections of the upper castes is a declared stand of my party. The CPI (M)’s stand on reservation is clear. As a member of the party's State Committee I spoke with clarity on the subject. Community-based reservation should not be sabotaged. But there are people who are poor in all sections of the society. They should also be brought under reservation," the statement said.
