Overview
- Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan warned against confining Sree Narayana Guru to any single caste or religion and said othering minorities betrays the Guru’s humanist teachings.
- Vijayan’s remarks carried political significance given Left Front criticism over a perceived soft approach to SNDP Yogam leadership and concerns about identity-based mobilization.
- Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said the Guru’s philosophy counters religious majoritarianism and identity politics without justice, adding that religion without ethics becomes a tool of domination.
- The two chief ministers also met at Sivagiri Mutt and held cordial talks following recent tensions over a Bengaluru demolition drive.
- Organisers adjusted the programme to fit official schedules, with Vijayan rescheduling a Cabinet meeting, and the three-day pilgrimage runs from December 30 to January 1 in Varkala.