THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has come up with its verdict. It was not based on any sudden impulse. There are bound to be people for or against it. But this is the final verdict, as far as a democratic country is concerned. And the government, irrespective of Left or Right, is bound to implement the same.
The slogan ‘faith is everything’ is just exhibitionist in nature. At different points in time, society has prevailed over faith with similar movements. And that is how society moves forward. Here in the Sabarimala issue, the BJP and the Congress have joined hands in protest. For them, it is not an issue of faith, but parochial political interests. They are least concerned about anything else. All they want is to prove by any means that the Left Front is against the devotees and their faith...”
These were the words of VS, who addressed scores of people who were patiently waiting to hear him at Panthalloor, where he once led an iconic fight. The most popular leader of the Communist movement in the country alive today, VS Achuthanandan turns 95 on Saturday.
The revolutionary leader, Kerala’s own Fidel Castro, is still a fighter and probably one of the best among the lot. Even now, he does not miss an opportunity to pounce on the Opposition. Age, for him, seems just a number.A true Communist, even at the age of 95, VS continues his fight. When the whole state is after the most sensitive Sabarimala issue, VS is committed to defend the Left front.
A founder-leader of CPM, VS Achuthanandan is the oldest living Communist in India. Venturing into political life as a trade union leader, VS was at the vanguard of all those land struggles, demanding implementation of the Land Reforms Act, which were sweeping across Kerala. He was at the forefront of the well known Punnapra-Wayalar struggle.
He was imprisoned many a time. During one of such jail terms, policemen pierced his soles with bayonet at Poonjar station lock-up. He spent about five-and-a-half years in jails and four years underground. He’s the only leader alive today, among the 32 CPI national council members who walked out of the historical CPI meet in 1964 to found the CPM.