Kerala-born civil service officer KK Nair to get a memorial in Ayodhya’s Ram temple

Posted in Faizabad as commissioner-cum-district magistrate on 1 June, 1949, Nair continued there till 14 March, 1950.

“KK Nair holds a significant place in the annals of the Ayodhya movement. Originating from the southern state of India, this courageous ICS officer played a memorable role in restoring the Hindu’s fundamental right to worship at the Rama Janmabhoomi even before India attained constitutional republic status,” the Organiser said in an article dated 28 December.

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Man of principles

The Sangh Parivar leaders in Kerala said Nair had ignored the wrath of Nehru and other Congress leaders by justifying the installation of a Ram idol inside the Babri Masjid on 22 December, 1949.

Nair, who also served as the judicial magistrate, secured the room and granted permission to devotees to conduct pujas and offer prayers at a stipulated time.

Nehru, who was the prime minister, and Govind Ballabh Pant, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, intervened, and they wanted Sanyasis to be evicted from the mosque even if it involved the use of force.

But Nair was not ready to oblige. Instead, he took over the affairs of the Babri Masjid and handed it over to the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation.

Subsequently, Nair was suspended from service. The man, however, approached the court and was eventually reinstated. He eventually quit his job and became a lawyer.

Later, both Nair and his wife, Shakunthala Nair, secured tickets from the Jana Sangh party and were elected to the Legislative Assembly and Parliament. Nair remained active in the public sphere until his death in September 1977.

Born to Kuttanad couple Shankara Panicker and Parvathy Amma, Nair studied at the Alappuzha SDV school and then at the Thiruvananthapuram University College. He then moved to London. At 22, the man secured ICS and joined the civil service. His first posting was in UP.

In Alappuzha,  a charitable trust is now functioning in the name of KK Nair. Sunil Pillai, the president and chartered accountant of the trust, has been invited to the Ram temple consecration. Sunil left Alappuzha for Ayodhya on 19 January to attend the function.

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Hero or opportunist?

While some people celebrate Nair as the “unsung” hero of the Ram Mandir movement, his detractors labelled him an “opportunist” who was interested in advancing his political interests.

He was accused of conspiring with the Hindu Mahasabha to install the idol inside the Babri Masjid. His tenure in Faizabad reportedly involved controversial actions, including acquiring land for Hindutva organisations through various means.

Kerala-based senior RSS leader VK Viswanathan recalled Nair as one who abandoned his high-profile job and luxurious life as he was destined for the cause of Ram Mandir. He referred to Nair as a passionate advocate of Hindutva who defied the order to remove the idol of Lord Ram from Babri Masjid.

At a recent meeting held in Alappuzha, Viswanathan termed the then-district magistrate as one among the line of leaders from Kerala—starting from Shankaracharya—who dedicated their lives to uphold the ideology and unity of Bharat. He commented that it was unfortunate that, like the Sankaracharya, Nair did not get due recognition in his home state.

Hindu Aikya Vedi leader RV Baby claimed that visionaries like Nair made it possible to create a new Bharat. According to Pillai, acknowledging Nair’s crucial role in the Ayodhya movement’s historical narrative is necessary.

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Nair’s role

“In a crucial turn of events, Nair tasked his assistant, Guru Datt Singh, to investigate the Ayodhya issue and present a ground report. Singh’s report, submitted on 10 October, 1949, unequivocally recommended the construction of a grand Ram temple at the contested site, stressing the willingness of the Hindu population for a more significant and dignified structure,” Pillai said.

“As per your orders, I went to the spot, inspected the site, and inquired about it in detail. The mosque and the temple are situated side by side, and Hindus and Muslims perform their rites and religious ceremonies. The Hindu public has applied this application to erect a decent Vishal temple instead of the small one currently existing. There is nothing on the way, and permission can be given as the Hindu population is very keen to have a nice temple at the place where Bhagwan Ram Chandra Ji was born. The land where the temple is to be erected is of Nazul (government land),” Singh reported.

On 22 December, 1949, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ordered the expulsion of Hindus from the Ram Lalla temple. Nair refused to implement the order, citing the potential for riots and bloodshed as the real stakeholders continued to perform puja at the site. The consequence of Nair’s defiance was suspension from service by the chief minister Pant, but Nair’s legal battle against the Congress government resulted in a court order in his favour,” the Organiser claimed.

“Despite rejoining the service, the contentious relationship with Nehru led Nair to resign from the IAS and pursue a career as a lawyer in the Allahabad High Court. By challenging the ‘Aurangzebic diktat’ of Nehru against Hindus, KK Nair upheld justice and made its way to the hearts of millions of people. People in and around Faizabad fondly called him as ‘Nair Saheb’. His dedication to the cause continued as he joined the Jana Sangh, with his wife, Sakunatala Nair, winning a seat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 1952 on a Jana Sangh ticket. The couple later became members of the 4th Lok Sabha in 1962,” the Organiser added.

However, their activism during the Emergency, protesting against Indira Gandhi’s regime, led to their arrest and imprisonment. Nair remained a committed Jana Sangh worker until his death on 7 September, 1977.

Despite his revered status in Uttar Pradesh, Nair did not receive any recognition in his home state.

So, the RSS is now establishing a memorial for Nair in his home village. The KK Nair Memorial Charitable Trust, operating on land donated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, also aims to commemorate his legacy and contribute to society by offering training for civil service aspirants and scholarships for eligible students.

“KK Nair’s life is a testament to courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice, making him an unsung hero in Kerala’s history. Now, efforts are underway to ensure that his contributions are never forgotten,” Pillai added.

He said a fitting memorial to Nair would be established in Alapuzha soon.