Row over Devaswom portfolio to Dalit leader in Pinarayi Vijayan's new government

While the decision to give Devaswom portfolio in the new Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala to CPM senior member and Dalit leader K Radhakrishnan is being highlighted by CPM cadres as a strong political message, the Dalit communities allege sidelining the senior CPM leader and giving inadequate representation to the community.

It is after around 40 years that a person from the Dalit community is being given the Devaswom portfolio in Kerala. M K Krishnan of the CPM was the last Devaswaom minister from the Dalit community, during 1980-81. Before that three Congress ministers from Dalit communities were given Devaswom portfolio.

Radhakrishnan is a CPM central committee member, former Speaker, former minister and five time legislator and is a graduate in economics.

CPM cadres are maintaining that by giving him the Devaswom portfolio the LDF government has upheld its progressive stature which is very relevant in the backdrop of the Sabarimala women entry issue.

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However, a section of Dalit activists felt that giving Radhakrishnan the Devaswom portfolio could be seen only as an attempt of the CPM to challenge the hindutva agenda played up by the opposite camps rather than any concern toward the Dalit community.

Social activist Dhanya Raman said that if the CPM had such genuine concerns towards the Dalit community they could have given Devaswom portfolio to the lone member from Dalit community in the previous ministry also (law minister A K Balan).

She also said that even when some first time MLAs were being made ministers, the lone CPM member from the Scheduled Tribe community O R Kelu, who is a two time legislator, was sidelined. If the left-front had genuine concerns for the Dalit communities, at least two minsters from the Dalit communities should have been included in the cabinet and Radhakrishnan should have been given a more prominent protfolio, she said.