Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said communal forces were trying to destroy the secular nature of the country and the unity among the people through their divisive politics as he urged people to follow the teachings of spiritual leaders like Sree Narayana Guru.

Vijayan, in a Facebook post on the Guru's 169th birth anniversary, said the nation was passing through a time when politics of caste and religious hatred were posing a big challenge to society and therefore, it was more imperative now than ever to vigorously uphold the spiritual leader's teachings.

He said that people should try to overcome the challenges posed by the communal forces and become a society as envisioned by the Guru by taking strength from his visions and struggles.

The Chief Minister said Kerala has become what it is today due to the intervention and activities of spiritual leaders and social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru.

In his post, Vijayan also highlighted how the spiritual leader's visions urged people to question caste-based hierarchies, democratise social life, expose the exploitative system, become strong by being organised and emphasised upon the importance of knowledge.

"He realised the necessity of education for social progress," the Chief Minister said.

Sree Narayana Guru had propagated the message of 'One Caste, One Religion and One God for Mankind'.

The 19th century spiritual guru and social reformer was born into a backward Ezhava family in an era when people from such communities faced social injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala.