Thiruvananthapuram: From the cover of printed budget speech featuring social reformer Ayyankali to finance minister Thomas Isaac's speech peppered with quotes from Mahakavi Kumaran Asan's works, the LDF Government sought to reiterate its resolve to uphold values of Renaissance movement in the wake of Sangh Parivar attempts to polarise Kerala society post Sabarimala verdict.
In his speech, the finance minister described how Kerala survived two disasters; the devastating floods and communal polarisation triggered by Sangh Parivar to prevent the implementation of the Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict upholding equality of women to worship.
The finance minister quoted from Asan's 'Chinthavishtayaya Sita' to emphasise the significance of "Vanitha Mathil". It is in the 100th year of the perennial question being asked by Asan's Sita to Rama, "yes, am I a puppet?'', that lakhs of women of Kerala flocked to the streets to proclaim that they are not impure.
Isaac said 'Vanitha Mathil' declared loudly that Kerala will continue to be a land radiating the energy of secularism and progressive thoughts. He spoke about Sree Narayana Guru's vision "whatever be the religion, attire or
language their caste is one" and how it was most relevant in these times. As envisaged by the Guru, the renaissance remoulded Malayalees as the "human caste."
Along with modernising its people, renaissance also attempted reforming Kerala society as a whole. The minister cautioned that the repeated attempts to unleash violence in the streets were aimed sabotaging the renaissance values.
Isaac hoped the Budget will contribute towards building an enlightened society in terms of equality and social justice.
