Rahul Easwar

Rahul Easwar is an Indian public policy commentator and activist from Kerala.

Personal life and Education
Rahul was born in Kerala, to Easwaran Namboothiri and Mallika into a Malayali Nambudiri Brahmin family. He is also the grandson of Kandararu Maheshwararu, who was the Senior Supreme priest of the Sabarimala temple. His wife, Deepa Vijayan Pillai, is from a Nair family. He is an executive member of the Munnokka Samudaya Samrakshana Munnani and the secretary of the Hindu Parliament. Rahul was selected as the Flag Ambassador of the Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation which aims to achieve National integration.

He is a ubiquitous presence on Malayalam regional TV News channels and National Indian TV news Channels, often being described as a "right-wing political observer". He has participated in more than 2700 Television debates across national and regional channels like Doordarshan, Republic, Times Now, NDTV, India Today, Zee, Asianet, Manorama and Mathrubhumi. He was the winner of Malayalee House, an adaptation of the reality television show Big Brother. He has given talks at TEDxIIM, TEDxSRM and TEDxNMIMS.

Activism
When the Kerala Government decided to give the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram award to artist M. F. Husain in 2007, Easwar initiated a campaign against him for alleged anti-Hindu sentiments resulting in the retraction of the award. Easwar has conducted campaigns for tribal rights in Kerala and was arrested along with a thousand members of the Malayaraya Tribal Community. Easwar protested against the Travancore Devaswom Board in favour of letting members of the Malayaraya Scheduled Tribe (ST) community light the Makaravilakku light at Sabarimala. He was detained by the police for planning the protest. Easwar defended Mata Amritanandamayi over the controversies related to the allegations made by Gail Tredwell. He also congratulated the Travancore Royal Family for the victory in the Padmanabha Swamy Temple case and wishes to free all temples from government control. Easwar articulated the difference between the Makara Jyothi and Makara Vilakku, bringing closure to a long-standing controversy. He and MLA P.C George were engaged in a legal battle for the rights of the Malayaraya Tribals who were involved in the 'Makaravilakku' in Sabarimala.

In July 2016, during an interview to India Today about the mistreatment of temple elephants, Easwar pointed out that temples have financial incentives to entertain crowds, which often results in the use of elephants for the spectacle. The root cause of the mistreatment, he believes, is a lack of spiritual education. "Our temples have become carnival spaces and tourist places, devoid of spiritual meaning and content." Easwar recommended as a reform, one-hour Saturday spiritual education for Hindus, similar to Friday for Muslims and Sunday for Christians. He supports the cultivation of "Secular Hindu unity" in Kerala. He went to court against the hate speech by Hindu leader Sadhvi Prachi against the Muslim community.

He proposed that "Hindu majority consolidation should not be anti-minority and it should be inclusive. He also quoted former DGP Siby Mathews on the issue of more than 80% of suicides being by Hindus, as opposed to just 8% suicide by Muslims, saying that a well-organised religious majority would come to the rescue of these individuals".

Easwar received death threats when he was the guest for the Jamat-e-Islami religious harmony function in Kochi. He was attacked by a group of left wing students from the Milad E Sherif Memorial College for his anti-beef festival & cow protection stance. They attacked and vandalized his car. Easwar received threats when he met Hadiya and Madani. A complaint was filed by K M Ashokan, whose daughter's marriage was annulled by the High Court due to controversy over forcible religious conversion. Easwar released the video of Hadiya where she says her life is in danger and the Supreme Court took note of it when it was raised which later secured her release from captivity. A Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice also expunged the allegations against Easwar. Easwar welcomed the entry of all believers to the Sabarimala temple irrespective of their religion. He also supported priesthood for all irrespective of caste. Easwar and Thushar Vellappaly, son of Vellapally Natesan demanded an anti forced conversion law in Kerala.

Females of age group 10 to 50 are prohibited from entering the Sabarimala temple, because the resident deity, Lord Ayyappā is a celibate (Naiṣṭika Brahmacārya). In September 2018, after a 20-year legal challenge, the Supreme Court lifted the ban. Easwar and his group Ayyappa Dharma Sena (ADS) protested the decision and threatened to further protests. Easwar became the face of the Sabarimala protests and was arrested for inciting and protesting near the temple complex.