Varkala (Kerala) | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday cautioned against attempts by some vested interests to distort and hijack the philosophies of saint-social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.

He urged people to be vigilant against such efforts to confine Narayana Guru within the boundaries of a particular religion or community.

The chief minister was speaking after inaugurating the 93rd Sivagiri Pilgrimage at Sivagiri Math, founded by Guru, at Varkala here.

The Sivagiri pilgrimage is being held this year amid concerns over attempts by certain forces to distort and hijack the philosophy of Narayana Guru, he said while addressing the gathering.

"We must remain vigilant against covert efforts to confine the Guru within the boundaries of any single caste or religion.

Sree Narayana Guru is the true world teacher who showed humanity the path of humanism, unity, brotherhood, and friendship, transcending caste and religious considerations," he said.

Describing Guru as a spiritual luminary whose philosophical greatness offered a vision for the liberation of the entire world, he said his vision had a profound influence on the making of modern Kerala.

The chief minister further cautioned that fragmented mobilisation of various caste and religious groups would weaken democratic and secular ideals, speakers said here on Sunday.

He also stressed the need to integrate the message of Narayana Guru with the vision of progressive forces to safeguard the country's constitutional values.

He said the survival of a democratic and secular constitutional framework depends on harmonising the Guru's teachings with uncompromising progressive ideals that uphold equality and social justice.

He also called for collective efforts to resist attempts to divide people on the basis of identity and to strengthen democratic and secular traditions rooted in the teachings of Sri Narayana Guru