By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An epoch has come to a close with the passing away of Communist patriarch and former chief minister of Kerala, Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan. He was 101, and is survived by his wife Vasumathi, son VA Arun Kumar and daughter VV Asha.
VS, as he is popularly known among his followers, had been admitted to a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram after a heart attack on June 23. The end came at 3.20 p.m. on Monday. The indefatigable fighter that he is, VS battled death for 28 days. The funeral will be held at the Valiya Chudukadu crematorium in Alappuzha on Wednesday. Public homage began on Monday evening at the AKG Centre in the Kerala capital. It will continue on Tuesday at Secretariat Durbar Hall, and conclude at Alappuzha Town Hall.
VS became CPI(M) Secretary in 1980 and held that post for 12 years. He was elected to the Kerala Assembly four times. He led the State as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. He was elected opposition leader thrice. His only loss – in Mararikulam constituency – came in 1966.
Top CPI(M) leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby and CPI(M) State secretary M. V. Govindan visited the hospital immediately after the news came of his death. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said VS was a strong-willed leader with a legacy of fighting injustice. He was a man who dedicated his life to the people. His life remained intertwined with the history and formation of modern Kerala, he said. Condolence messages from leaders belonging to other parties are pouring in.
The immense popularity of the legendary Communist leader was evident from the sea of humanity which gathered outside the hospital and accompanied the body to the AKG Centre. Kerala has not witnessed such outpouring of spontaneous grief since the death of AKG, EMS and Nayanar. It was a tribute paid to an iconic leader who spent his life leading struggles, espousing the causes of the poor and downtrodden.
It is difficult to capture VS’s personality and encapsulate his life in appropriate words. He was a communist to the core, an uncompromising champion of people’s causes, an organiser par excellence, a fiery orator, an able administrator and a chief minister who always cared for the welfare of the poor. His innings as chief minister saw many a welfare measure that benefited the masses. No wonder, he remained an immensely popular leader.
A founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), VS Achuthanandan turned 101 last October. VS is the last of the 32 leaders who walked out of the CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Achuthanandan began his political career as a trade unionist at the forefront of land struggles. He played an active part in the iconic Punnapra-Vayalar struggle.
Born on October 20, 1923 as the son of Sankaran and Akkamma, VS had a difficult childhood after losing his mother at the age of four. In the beginning, he helped his brother at a tailoring shop, and then became a coir factory worker. He was initiated into politics by P Krishna Pillai. He cut his political teeth by becoming a trade unionist in 1938, organising agricultural workers at Kuttanadu.
Then he became a member of the Travancore State Congress, and aa member of the Communist Party in 1940. Later he became a part of the undivided CPI state Secretariat in 1957. VS was also part of the country’s freedom struggle and underwent imprisonment many times. Once, during his jail term, the police had brutally pierced his soles with a bayonet at the Poonjar station lock-up. He spent around five-and-a-half years in prison and four years underground.
VS led the ‘land’ struggles, starting with the Alappuzha declaration in 1970 demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act passed by the EMS Government in 1967.
In 1957, he became the CPI state secretariat member. On numerous occasions, he faced opposition and criticism from various corners for raising his voice against corrupt practices indulged in by fellow leaders. In 1962, during the Sino-Indian war, he was demoted within the party for supporting blood donation camps for Indian soldiers.
Interestingly, the iconic communist leader was extremely reluctant to get married. He was of the firm view that marriage would be an obstacle to his party activities. But ultimately, he bowed to the wishes of his elder brother Gangadharan. He is said to have remarked that it is better to have a companion when he fell ill! Vasumathi, a final-year student at Secundarabad Gandhi Hospital who left her temporary job as a social worker at NES block Cherthala to pursue her nursing course, became his life partner. VS and Vasumathi tied the nuptial knot on July 18, 1967 at Alappuzha Narasimhapuram auditorium. It was a simple wedding sans fanfare. The couple just garlanded each other. There was no feast, no reception or celebrations.
VS started giving greater care to his health after in 1980 after a heart failure. Doctors advised VS, who weighed 80 kg at that time to reduce it to below 50 kg. He strictly followed the diet and exercise prescribed by his doctors, avoiding tea and coffee, and completely gave up spicy and oily food, and soft drinks. He also started practising yoga. Gradually, he reduced his weight down to 50 kg and regained his heart strength!
He would wake up early and walk for half an hour. Yoga, sun basking and a relaxed oil bath were compulsory for him. After his routine, he would read for around three hours and sleep by 10 PM. He would also take a one-hour nap after lunch. This timing would change in unusual circumstances but never his dietary practices.
No doubt, Kerala politics will never be the same sine his exit from the political scene, which he strode like a Colossus. (IPA Service)
