With the Kerala High Court disqualifying the board of directors of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, including its general secretary Vellappally Natesan, the spotlight now falls squarely on the state government. But decades of entrenched power suggest that meaningful change is far from guaranteed.
According to S. Chandrasenan, president of the SNDP Samrakshana Samiti and one of the petitioners, the Supreme Court order stipulates that the state government will temporarily take control of yoga. Until formal elections can be held, an interim board of up to 15 members is to oversee matters.
However, implementing this is easier said than done. “Membership lists are most necessary for such elections to take place. Unfortunately, SNDP Yogam does not have any membership registers, let alone identity cards of members,” says Mr. Chandrasenan.
Given Mr. Natesan’s close ties to the ruling establishment, there are also questions about how the government will respond. “The only thing we can do is to take the government in good faith to act on the Supreme Court’s order. The Samiti also plans to approach the government to expedite action on the court’s order,” he adds.
Mr. Natesan, who has led the organization for over three decades, has long faced internal dissent. He was also embroiled in legal disputes, particularly regarding SNDP’s microfinance operations. The case that prompted the Supreme Court’s intervention, registered in 2016, alleges that loans obtained from the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation at low interest rates were re-lent at higher rates, resulting in an alleged embezzlement of around ₹15 crore. His role was also scrutinized in connection with the alleged suicide of KK Mahesan, former SNDP union secretary Kanichukulangara.
Despite these controversies, the state government has often been accused of dragging its feet, raising doubts about how quickly the court’s decision will be enforced.
With parliamentary elections looming, the Supreme Court’s order carries immense political weight. Mr. Natesan has cultivated ties across party lines and has recently aligned himself with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Although it was the late VS Achuthanandan who first brought to light the alleged microfinance irregularities a decade ago, it never stopped successive CPI(M)-led governments from establishing a close relationship with the SNDP general secretary. Last year, the Supreme Court rejected the state government’s request to change the investigating officer in the Vigilance case against him.
Meanwhile, the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), founded by Mr Natesan in 2015, is an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Union government earlier this year.
Mr. Natesan, a vocal advocate of “Hindu consolidation in Kerala”, tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to forge an alliance between Hindu community organisations. And while his rhetoric sometimes leans communal, he has maintained a careful distance from the forces of the Sangh Parivar, even as his party remains aligned with the BJP.
Published – 13 March 2026 01:07 IST
