Dr. Rajeev Menon, the National General Secretary of the Republican Party, has demanded that the statue of NSS Acharya Bharat Kesari Mannathu Padmanabhan should be installed in the Parliament. He has also stated that he will submit a petition to the Prime Minister regarding this matter. Mannathu Padmanabhan was a prominent figure in the social and community renaissance in Kerala. He played a significant role in leading the people of India as a united front and fought for the upliftment of the underprivileged classes. He was honored by the then President with the title Bharat Kesari and has also received the Padma Bhushan award. He worked tirelessly to unite the Nair community and other communities, holding firmly to the idea of ‘from Nayadi to Namboothiri.’ It is imperative, as Dr. Rajeev Menon has added, that the statue of Mannathu Padmanabhan, who has worked with such social commitment, be installed in the Parliament.
Sree Narayana Guru was the one who lit the path for the great movement known as NSS. At the same time, Mannathu Padmanabhan, who along with R. Shankar formed the Hindu Mahamandalam, was a great person who agreed to abandon the caste name ‘Pillai’ at a conference in Changanassery, based on Guru Devan’s proclamation of ‘no caste.’ He was a talented individual who prepared his community to move forward through his path of action and brought about revolutionary changes in the social, cultural, and educational sectors that amazed everyone. He was always dedicated to protecting community interests, democracy, secularism, and national interests, and took a strong stance against superstitions, malpractices, wasteful expenditures, and lowliness. Such a social reformer, who worked with a commitment to society and not just a community, but the entire society as a whole, Dr. Rajeev Menon will submit the petition demanding the installation of Mannathu Padmanabhan’s statue in the Parliament to the Prime Minister the very next day.
Dr. Rajeev Menon had sent a letter to the Prime Minister during the election period, demanding the installation of Sree Narayana Gurudevan’s statue in the Parliament House. In the context of expecting a decision soon, he is raising another such demand. It is essential to teach the new generation about Mannathu Padmanabhan, Sree Narayana Guru, Chattampi Swamikal, and other such memorable figures. Great personalities like Swami Vivekananda should always live among the general public. The new generation must learn and teach about this, which is why Dr. Rajeev Menon has clearly stated to News per Seconds that the statue of Gurudevan must be installed.
