Thiruvananthapuram: West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose launched a scathing attack on the leadership of the Nair Service Society (NSS) in Kerala, alleging that he was prevented from offering floral tributes at the Mannam Samadhi, the memorial of NSS founder Mannathu Padmanabhan, in the state a few years ago.

Speaking at an event linked to the Mannam Jayanti in New Delhi on Sunday, Bose, a former IAS officer from Kerala, questioned whether the community’s legacy had become the "monopoly" of a single individual.

"Is offering floral tributes at Mannam Samadhi not a right of every member of the Nair community? Does one person hold a monopoly over it?" the Governor asked, expressing his deep resentment over an incident he claimed occurred during a visit to the NSS headquarters at Changanassery’s Perunna in southern Kerala.

Bose, who identified himself as a "Karayogam Nair" (a member of the local units of the NSS), stated that the memorial belongs to the entire community and not to any specific leader.

Taking a direct swipe at the current administration of the NSS, he remarked, "I do not go to Perunna to meet gatekeepers."

The incident reportedly took place in November 2022, when Bose visited the Mannam Samadhi before assuming office as the West Bengal Governor. Responding to the allegation, NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair on Monday said he was unaware of any such incident.

The Bengal Governor further revealed that the "negligence" and "disrespect" he faced occurred shortly before he assumed his constitutional office. He described the turn of events at Perunna as "saddening" and unbefitting of the organisation’s values.

In a move seen as a symbolic challenge to the Perunna-based leadership, Governor Bose announced his intention to establish a memorial for Mannathu Padmanabhan in New Delhi.

To initiate the project, he pledged to donate one month of his official salary.

"Mannam’s legacy should be celebrated globally. A memorial in the national capital will ensure his contributions to social reform are recognized at a higher level," Bose added.

The NSS in Kerala claims to maintain an equal distance from all political parties, though it is often perceived as leaning towards the Congress.

The friction between the Bengal Governor and the NSS leadership marks a rare public confrontation involving a high-ranking constitutional dignitary and one of Kerala’s most powerful community organisations.