Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the State Government is moving forward by embracing all humanity in accordance with the ideals of Sree Narayana Guru.
He was inaugurating the 171st Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi celebrations at the Chempazhanthy Sree Narayana Gurukulam here yesterday.
“The relevance of Guru increases with every passing year. This is a time to reflect on how he transformed Kerala’s caste-ridden social life, the interventions he made, how they are remembered today, and whether the present generation is doing justice to them,” the Chief Minister said.
At a time when attempts are being made to distort Guru’s philosophy and use his legacy for vested interests, it is essential to uphold his vision, he stressed.
“Guru, through simple and profound words, explained what man is, what religion is, and what the idea of God is. His vision spread the light of justice across society. For justice to prevail, one must be able to see others as equals. That is where the depth of Guru’s great message of ‘Sahodaratvam’ (fraternity) lies,” he said.
The Chief Minister noted that what is now popularly termed ‘inclusive’ society – ensuring no one is left behind – was first articulated through Guru’s teachings. Attempts to portray Guru merely as a religious ascetic must be resisted, as he was not only a spiritualist but also a social reformer who engaged with material life to make the world more livable, he added.
“Guru placed man above all religions, breaking traditional barriers. To deny him that position is to deny the human values we have achieved. Guru was the voice of caste annihilation. Just as attempts are being made to hijack the legacy of Ambedkar and other renaissance leaders, similar efforts are being made with Guru. These must be recognised and resisted,” he said.
Relating Guru’s vision to contemporary times, Mr Vijayan said Kerala is advancing strongly in science and technology and has embraced sweeping digital changes.
“The State’s declaration of complete digital literacy and the forthcoming proclamation of Kerala as a State free of extreme poverty on November 1 are examples of our commitment to Guru’s ideals of humanity above all differences,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced that in three years, the centenary of Guru’s Samadhi will be observed as the “Guru Message Dissemination Year.” He also released the poster of the World Religion Centenary Conference to be held at Victoria Palace in Australia on October 14, 2025.
The meeting was presided over by MLA Kadakampally Surendran. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust President Sachidananda Swamiji, General Secretary Shubhamgananda Swamiji, Soukshmananda Swamiji, MP Shashi Tharoor, K.G. Baburajan, Gokulam Gopalan, K. Muraleedharan, G. Mohandas, Ward Councillor Chempazhanthy Udayan, and Aneesh Chempazhanthy also participated.
