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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
V.S. Achuthanandan' s last journey draws thousands
At around 12.15 p.m. on Wednesday, the specially arranged bus carrying the mortal remains of former Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader V.S. Achuthanandan entered Pazhaya Nadakkavu Road at Paravur in Punnapra North grama panchayat. The cortege took more than 22 hours to cover a distance of around 150 km from Thiruvananthapuram to Paravur, as thousands lined the route to pay their last respects. As the vehicle reached Velikkakathu, his house at Paravur, it was greeted by emotional cries of 'Kanne Karale from party workers and supporters. Amid a sea of mourners, his body was gently taken out of the bus and carried into the house, marking his final homecoming. After a brief pause inside the house, the mortal remains were brought out and placed in the courtyard, allowing the public to offer their final tributes. What followed was a moving display of love and reverence for a leader who had devoted his life to the people. Thousands had gathered, many arriving as early as Tuesday evening, some travelling from distant corners of the State and even beyond, to bid farewell. The queue of mourners waiting patiently to pay their respects stretched over two kilometres, bearing silent testimony to the deep emotional bond Achuthanandan shared with the masses he served for decades. 'I've seen many leaders come and go, but there was no one like V.S. He was one of us — simple, honest, and fearless. Today, as his body entered this road for the last time, it felt like a family member was returning home,' said Ramakrishnan K., a resident of Kuttamangalam in Kuttanad. There were also people who had travelled from distant places. 'When we shouted 'Kanne Karale it came from our hearts. He stood for the poor, for justice, and never compromised. His memory will stay alive in every corner of Kerala,' said Abdul Hakkim from Valad in Wayanad. From Velikkakathu, the mortal remains were taken to the CPI(M) Alappuzha district committee office around 2.45 p.m., where thousands more paid their respects. The body was later taken to Recreation Ground around 5.30 p.m. for the public to offer tributes. Despite heavy downpour, a large number of people turned out to say adieu to their beloved leader. By the time the cortege reached Punnapra-Vayalar Martyrs' Memorial at Valiya Chudukkad around 9 p.m. the farewell had become a powerful and emotional moment in the collective memory of Alappuzha.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI(M) launches two-day campaign against ‘anti-people' policies of the government in Mysuru
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) launched a two-day campaign to highlight the issues plaguing commoners and the ''anti-people'' policies of the State and Central governments here on Wednesday. The event was inaugurated by progressive thinker and writer Horeyal Doreswamy, who garlanded the statue of B.R. Ambedkar to mark the launch of the campaign. The CPI(M) said that apart from airing national and State-level matters, burning issues pertaining to Mysuru will also be highlighted to draw the attention of the authorities. Mr. Doreswamy, in his inaugural speech, expressed concern over what he said was an air of fear and distress among the vulnerable sections of the society, including farmers. He said that on one hand, farmers were being driven to suicide as the crops do not fetch remunerable price, and on the other hand, the number of educated individuals joining the roll of unemployment was also on the rise. Mr. Doreswamy flayed the government for the rise in prices of essential commodities, and said that it was adding to the financial distress of the poor and the working-class people. He also expressed concern that people were being divided along religious lines resulting in polarisation of the society. The writer pointed out that while the number of landless cultivators were on the rise, the government, instead of making allotment to them, was content with grabbing land from the farmers and handing it over to the corporates. This was also rendering many farmers landless, he added. The government was also flayed for its inability to construct houses and distribute it to the poor. Mr. Doreswamy said that only the Left parties in the country were airing concerns and issues pertaining to the commoners and fighting for the cause of farmers, workers, and the poor. CPI(M) district secretary Jagadish Surya touched upon issues related to Mysuru in particular, and said that there were no employment generation schemes in the region. Several industries, he said, had shut down, and thousands of acres of land acquired for industrial development was laying vacant, he added. The Mysuru City Corporation was urged to open ward-level clinics, and demand for the issuance of cultivation rights (Saguvali Patras) to the poor 'bagair hukum' cultivators was also made. Senior office-bearers of the party, including K. Basavaraj, N. Vijay Kumar, Jayaram, local committee secretary Subrahmanya, G. Rajendra, L. Jagannath, and others were present.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Punnapra-Vayalar — The blood-red uprising that shaped Kerala's Left
The story so far V.S. Achuthanandan, the communist icon who passed away at the age of 101, was one of the last living flagbearers of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 in Kerala. The movement, which played a critical role in shaping Kerala's political landscape, was the crucible that forged his lifelong commitment to justice and resistance. What was Punnapra-Vayalar uprising? The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 was a mass revolt by workers and peasants against the autocratic Travancore monarchy and the autocratic rule of Diwan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. Rooted in the coastal belt of Alappuzha, particularly in the villages of Punnapra and Vayalar, the movement was spearheaded by the nascent Communist Party of India, which mobilised coir workers, agricultural labourers and tenants who were bearing the brunt of feudal exploitation and starvation in the wake of World War Two. At the heart of the protest was rising discontent against the Diwan's proposal to keep Travancore an independent nation, separate from the Indian Union, an idea modelled on the American presidential system. The communists were objected to this 'American model', coining the slogan: 'Throw the American model into the Arabian Sea!' A revolt fuelled by suffering The economic hardship was acute. Food shortages, black market, inflation, unemployment and starvation plagued the people. Landlords, backed by the State, ruled with impunity. In the face of such cruelty, the coir workers' union and the communist party began building ward committees and organising local resistance in Cherthala and Ambalapuzha taluks. By 1945, a general strike was held across Alappuzha, Cherthala and Muhamma, demanding basic rights and rations. The response was swift and brutal in the form of martial law and police repression. The flashpoint On 25 October 1946, as Travancore prepared to declare independence with a U.S.-style constitution, unrest was already boiling over. The All Travancore Trade Union Congress had called for a general strike starting October 22. Thousands of workers took to the streets, marching toward the reserve police camp at Punnapra, demanding freedom. When the protesters reached the camp, the officer-in-charge gave the order to open fire. Several demonstrators were shot dead. The officer and five policemen were also killed in the clashes that followed. Outraged, over 1,000 communists in Vayalar retaliated with crude spears (varikuntham, as it is locally called) carved from arecanut tree stems and killed several police personnel. The Diwan responded by declaring martial law. By October 27, the Travancore army, with naval support, had surrounded Vayalar. Outgunned, the rebels resisted fiercely but were eventually crushed. The exact toll remains uncertain, but hundreds of communists lost their lives in the brutal crackdown. Achuthanandan's role Achuthanandan, then a 23-year-old coir worker and newly minted Communist, was deeply involved in organising workers ahead of the uprising. Though arrested before the final clashes, he played a crucial role in mobilising resistance. After the uprising, V.S. went underground. Escaping to Kottayam through the backwaters, he trekked 30 km to reach Poonjar as instructed by Travancore Communist Party acting secretary K.V. Pathrose. In Poonjar, he hid in the homes of sympathisers but was soon caught and subjected to intense torture. He was presumed dead and nearly dumped in the forest. But he survived and was treated in Pala hospital before being transferred to the Poojappura Central Jail in Thiruvananthapuram. Aftermath and legacy Though the uprising was violently suppressed, it dramatically shifted Travancore's political trajectory. It symbolised the awakening of class consciousness among the oppressed and laid the ideological foundation for the rise of Left politics in the State. Less than a year later, Diwan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer resigned and left the State after an attempt on his life. This struggle also led to the beginning of a process through which the two princely States of Travancore and Cochin were first made into what was known as the Travancore-Cochin State. Seven years later, they were merged with the Malabar district of the British-ruled Madras presidency to form the new, united linguistic State of Kerala. In 1957, following the first-ever elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the first democratically communist government came to power under the leadership of E.M.S. Namboodiripad. The communists regard Punnapra-Vayalar uprising as not isolated. It was part of a broader wave of militant actions across Kerala — Karivellur, Kavumbai and Thillankeri in Malabar saw similar uprisings. But the resistance in Alappuzha stood out for its intensity, sacrifice, and impact. The slogan 'the blood of Vayalar is our blood' became a rallying cry for generations of Left activists. A life lived in the spirit of resistance For Achuthanandan, the uprising was a turning point that charted the rest of his life. As a trade unionist, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Minister and elder statesman of the Left, he carried the spirit of Punnapra-Vayalar into every phase of his public life. With his passing, Kerala also looses a bridge to its revolutionary past. But the legacy set by V.S. has ensured that the fire lit in 1946 lives on in Kerala's politics, memory and conscience.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Smart meters burden on consumers: CPI
Rajamahendravaram: CPI national executive member Akkineni Vanaja has asserted that the Communist Party of India will continue its fight until the government halts the installation of smart electricity meters. Addressing a press conference at the CPI office here on Tuesday, she said the burden of smart meters will ultimately fall on consumers, leading to increased financial pressure. Vanaja criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign tour while Parliament is in session, calling it inappropriate and a dishonour to the nation's highest democratic institution. Referring to former US President Donald Trump's claim of mediating 23 times after the Pahalgam incident, she said it was shameful and demanded that Modi respond to the nation on the issue. She also came down heavily on the BJP government's policies, blaming them for rising unemployment and economic distress. Taking a jibe at TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Vanaja questioned why he is now resorting to borrowing, the same act he previously criticised in Jagan Mohan Reddy's administration. Commenting on the Polavaram project, she alleged that reducing the dam height and exposing the Banakacharla plans were actions that hurt the project's interests. Even after one year in power, the alliance government has failed to do justice to the Polavaram displaced families, she said. She also accused Chandrababu Naidu of failing to secure central funds for the project. Vanaja announced that CPI will organise a national convention to oppose the anti-people policies of both the Central and State governments. Speaking on the occasion, CPI East Godavari district secretary Tatipaka Madhu said the party's 26th district conference will be held on August 6 and 7 in Rajamahendravaram, with delegates from all 17 mandals participating. A massive rally will begin at 2 PM on August 6 from the CPI office, followed by a public meeting at 4 PM at Subrahmanyam Grounds. CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna, assistant secretary JV Satyanarayana Murthy, national executive member Akkineni Vanaja, and state executive member Ravulapalli Ravindranath will address the meeting. CPI district assistant secretary Kondrapu Rambabu, city secretary V Kondalarao, Jathla Sangham general secretary Sappa Ramana, party leaders PLavanya, Chintalapudi Sunil, and AIYF district secretary P Trimurthulu also participated.
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Thousands pay tribute to veteran Indian communist leader
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Thousands are paying their respects to veteran Indian communist leader VS Achuthanandan whose funeral will be held on Wednesday. VS, as he was popularly known, died on Monday at the age of 101. He was a founding member of India's largest communist party and a former chief minister of the southern state of Kerala. Tens of thousands of people have thronged the streets to pay tribute to the politician, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Kerala's political history. Forced to drop out of school as a child, Achuthanandan overcame grinding poverty and torture in police custody to become one of the state's most beloved leaders. He was being treated at a hospital in Thiruvananathapuram after suffering a cardiac arrest last month. His funeral will be held near his hometown in Alappuzha district with full state honours. "Fighting for the rights of the oppressed and the exploited was the guiding principle of his life," MA Baby, general secretary of Achuthanandan's party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), wrote in tribute. He described the leader as "the epitome of struggle". Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also from the CPI(M), called Achuthanandan a "limitless repository of inspiration and lessons". Apart from being Kerala's chief minister, Achuthanandan was the state's leader of opposition three times and a member of the CPI(M)'s Politburo for 23 years. Achuthanandan's popularity among Indian communists rivals only that of Jyoti Basu, the long-serving West Bengal chief minister and CPI(M) co-founder. But unlike the London-educated Basu, Achuthanandan came from humble roots and didn't finish school. While Basu shaped his legacy in power, Achuthanandan did so from the streets, championing people's issues as an opposition leader. Achuthanandan started working young after losing his mother at four and father at 11. As a teen in a coir factory, he joined the undivided Communist Party at 17 and began organising agricultural workers in Travancore in then British-ruled India. AK Antony, a former Kerala chief minister from the Congress party, said that as a school student in the 1960s, he would wait beside paddy fields to listen to Achuthanandan's speeches. "Achuthanandan's life and struggles and the torture and beatings he endured in the vanguard of the communist agitations for bonded agriculture workers in Kuttanad are unequalled and historical," he was quoted as saying by The Hindu newspaper. Achuthanandan led a 1946 revolt against the state authorities, in which hundreds of communists were reportedly killed. He went underground, was later arrested, tortured in custody, and spent five years in jail. His work spanned labour rights, land rights, education, women's right, anti-corruption measures and environmental protection. A staunch communist, Achuthanandan wasn't afraid to defy his party - most notably when he met the widow of TP Chandrasekharan, murdered in 2012 by a gang that included former CPI(M) colleagues after he broke away to form his own party. After public outcry forced the CPI(M) to reverse its attempts to sideline him in 2006 and 2011, Achuthanandan served as Kerala's chief minister (2006–2011) before retiring from public life following a 2019 stroke and living with his son in Thiruvananthapuram. — BBC
