In what can be called a bizarre moment for the CPM in Kerala after the mayor of Kozhikode spoke at a Sangh Parivar gathering and suggested that mothers should practice devotion to Lord Krishna.

Kozhikode Corporation Mayor Beena Philip recently spoke at a mothers’ gathering sponsored by Balagokulam, a Sangh Parivar organization for children on Sunday. She stated in her speech, “One should have the image of Lord Krishna in one’s mind. Characters in Hindu mythology should be imbibed. If mothers have devotion to Little Krishna, they would not get angry with their children. Every child should be considered as Little Krishna. Then, devotion and love would grow in the minds of children.”

Meanwhile, the mention of Lord Krishna inspires children to learn about the Hindu religion.
Following closely in the footsteps of another CPM Mayor, Arya Rajendran of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, who caused controversy by endorsing distinct sports teams in the general and SC/ST categories, Philip attended the RSS-affiliated event. Rajendran, a member of the higher caste Hindu Nair community, initially defended the plan by arguing that it would better utilize SC/ST monies. Later, however, she was forced to abandon the proposal due to public uproar.

Philip asserted that Kerala falls behind North India in terms of childcare at the event on Sunday where she decorated a statue of Lord Krishna. Acknowledging the low infant mortality rate in the state, she said, “Preventing the death of newborns is not enough. What matters is what we deliver to them in childhood. North Indians know how to love children.”

The CPM leader defended herself on Monday, claiming that her party had not given her any orders to avoid attending the RSS-affiliated gathering where she spoke and was present. She stated, “I was speaking to mothers. I never felt Balagokulam was an RSS organization.”

P Mohanan, the district secretary for the CPM, openly dissociated the party from the Mayor’s action. He said in a statement, “She should not have attended the Balagokulam program. It is against the party’s stand… We are publicly rejecting her stand.”

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