Satheesan faces criticism over use of 'Menon' surname during Kerala CM oath ceremony

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has come under criticism from sections of social media and even leaders within the Congress after using the caste surname Menon during his swearing-in ceremony, triggering a debate on caste identity and political messaging in the state.The controversy erupted after users online compared Satheesans latest oath as Chief Minister with the oath he took as an MLA in 2021.During his earlier swearing-in in the Assembly, he had identified himself simply as V D Satheesan.

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has come under criticism from sections of social media and even leaders within the Congress after using the caste surname 'Menon' during his swearing-in ceremony, triggering a debate on caste identity and political messaging in the state.

The controversy erupted after users online compared Satheesan's latest oath as Chief Minister with the oath he took as an MLA in 2021.

During his earlier swearing-in in the Assembly, he had identified himself simply as ''V D Satheesan''. But at the recent ceremony of the new UDF government, he said, ''I, Vadassery Damodara Menon Satheesan''.

A source close to Satheesan rejected the criticism, saying the Chief Minister had merely used the expanded form of his name during the swearing-in ceremony.

A Congress source said there was a ''message'' in Satheesan's use of his caste name during the ceremony. It could be seen as an effort to reach out to the Hindu community amid strong criticism from Sangh Parivar organisations and the BJP for backing the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami in his statements.

The top leadership of two major Hindu caste organisations in Kerala-- the Nair Service Society (NSS), representing the Nair community to which Satheesan belongs, and the numerically strong Ezhava community outfit, the SNDP Yogam-- were not in favour of Satheesan's selection as Chief Minister.

Some supporters of Satheesan on social media argued that the Chief Minister chose to spell out his full name as a mark of respect to his late father, Damodara Menon, while assuming the state's top office.

Critics argued that the public use of a caste title by the Congress leader contradicted the party's secular and inclusive image.

Congress spokesman in Kerala Jinto John was among the first from within the party to react publicly, though indirectly.

In a Facebook post, he wrote that ''even if the punch is slightly less, a Congress without caste tails is more inclusive.''.

Another spokesman of the Congress, Anoop V R also criticised the move in a lengthy Facebook post, questioning why ''Menon'' had appeared now when it was absent in Satheesan's previous oath ceremonies.

Anoop said caste in Kerala continued to function as ''social capital and social power'' and argued that political leaders should remain sensitive to such symbols.

Referring to Satheesan's public image as a serious reader, Anoop urged the Chief Minister to spend more time reading Dr B R Ambedkar.

Even amid the pressures of official responsibilities, since you find time for reading, you should also find more time to read Ambedkar,'' he wrote.

A Congress leader said it will be interesting to see what he would use-- V D Satheesan or Vadassery Damodara Menon Satheesan -- while taking the oath as a legislator on Thursday.