Priyadarshini Publications, the publication division of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), turned another leaf in its two-year history on Monday by bringing out its 98th title, that too penned by former BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai. Titled ‘Onchiyam Oru Marana Warrant’, against the backdrop of the T P Chandrasekharan murder case, the book depicts Marxism as an outdated ideology and essentially based on mass annihilation against those who are opposed to it.
Inaugurating a week-long book fair of the Priyadarshini Publications, at the outset of which the book was released, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Prof P J Kurien said that at a time when there is a clamour that reading habits are dying and there is also a view that everything should be read, it has to be kept in mind that reading of the holy texts in all religions would bring in an essential cleansing of minds.
“There is no other way for character formation other than reading of good books. The biggest challenge of today is that parents are not able to analyse the minds of their children, while the young generation is hooked to e-learning and attendant aberrations,” he said.
Kurien also said that through a single drama like ‘Ningalenne Communistaaki’, the seeds of socialism and communism could be sown in the state. A wrong perception that Congressmen have no reading habits was also spread, he noted.
In his presidential address, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said that Priyadarshini Publications has a motto above politics. He pointed out that not only a BJP leader’s work published now establishes it but another title authored by poet and left fellow traveller Ezhacheri Ramachandran will be brought out shortly. “Though Sreedharan Pillai and myself are positioned poles apart in politics, that does not hamper in maintaining personal relationships and friendship,” Ramesh said.
He said that the publication division is gearing up to clock 100 titles this year itself, with books authored by President Pranab Mukherjee and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in the pipeline.
Sahitya Akademy president Perumbadavom Sreedharan released ‘Onchiyam Oru Marana Warrant.’ Poet Sugathakumari delivered the keynote address. KPCC spokesman M M Hassan introduced the book.
KPCC vice-president Thalekunnil Basheer, litterateur Dr George Onakkoor, P S Sreedharan Pillai, Bhasha Institute Director Dr M R Thampan, Jawahar Balajana Vedi state chairman G V Hari and Priyadarshini Publications secretary N K Vijayakumar also spoke.
The book fair at VJT Hall here has stalls of many other publications too, including English titles.