The petitioner submitted the he was a member of the committee since 1987
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday observed that a person could not be termed ‘untouchable’ or ‘Avarna’ merely because he had got reservation in education or in employment based on the Constitutional protections granted to some weaker sects. The court also held that Veluthedath Nair belonged to the Nair community.
Justice B Kemal Pasha passed the order while considering a petition by VM Sasi, of Thrissur challenging the removal of his name from the membership register of the Paramekkavu Devaswom. The name was removed on the ground that the petitioner belonged to ‘Veluthedan Nair’, which did not come within the definition of ‘Savarna Hindu’.
The petitioner submitted the he was a member of the committee since 1987. The court pointed out that the petitioner belonged to the sub-sect of ‘Veluthedath Nair’, no doubt, a Nair for all practical purposes and therefore, he could not be treated as an ‘Avarna Hindu’.
“When he belongs to a sub-sect of the Nair community, he squarely falls within the category of the fourth ‘Varna’ namely ‘Shudra’. Hence he is a Savarna Hindu,” the court held.
