Kerala CM thanks Katju for saying Keralites are the real Indians

Thank you, Justice Markandey Katju.

Thank you for your kind words about Kerala in your Facebook post. As a Keralite and as the chief minister of Kerala, I feel proud.

As mentioned in your post, Kerala has always nourished a democratic ethos that has enabled them to accept people from different nations and religions.

I wish to express that a statement in your post which said that Scheduled Castes never suffered discrimination in Kerala is historically inaccurate. There was a time when untouchability was practised in Kerala. The powerful struggles waged against caste discrimination and feudalism which strengthened it resulted in Kerala becoming what it is today.

Therefore, the history of Kerala is also a history of struggles.

Malayalis who aren't thrilled by the memories of struggles against landlords and feudalism in Punnapra Vayalar, Kayyur, Karivallur, Morazha, Onchiyam etc are few. The contributions of social reform leaders like Sri Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, Sahodaran Ayyappan and Left progressive forces in creating a consciousness that questions caste discrimination in Kerala cannot be overlooked.

Guruvayur satyagraha, Vaikom satyagraha and Paliyam struggle which were conducted to secure the freedom of worship and movement for the marginalised are glowing chapters in Kerala's history.

Equally important as these struggles is the importance Kerala's society gives to education. Early on itself, social reformers and Christian missionaries realised the importance of education for social upliftment and engaged with those communities that were denied education.

Agricultural workers of Kandala who went on strike chanting the slogan "we will not work in your fields if you do not allow our children to study" and Chanar women who fought for the right to cover their breasts are also the architects of the progressive consciousness of Kerala.

In Kerala, the first government onwards has sought to prepare and perfect this land that was tilled by social reform and national movements, agricultural workers struggles and the ensuing left progressive forces.

The first Communist government led by EMS sought to pave the way for a new Kerala through administrative reforms, education bill, democratic decentralisation and public institutions' interventions in the social sector. I wish to state that Kerala stands apart from the other states because of the severe blow it dealt to feudalism through land reforms and democratic decentralisation.

Finally, the question of who the real Indians are also suggests that there is no single notion of India, particularly when we talk of issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast India.

As we are at the cusp of 70 years of our independence, it is our duty to ensure that all such different understandings can be voiced and heard.

It is only when the rights of all Indians including workers, Dalits, tribals, women, children, LGBTQ communities, Muslims and Christians are protected that they will feel that this country is theirs' as well. Only when we achieve all over India what has already been achieved in Kerala can the real India as envisaged by the makers of our Constitution be truly built.

I hope that this will be realised soon.

Once again, extending my heartfelt thanks for your kind words.

(This post first appeared on the Facebook page: Chief Minister's office, Kerala.)