Thrissur: Former Chief Minister, K. Karunakaran's 100th birthday was observed on Thursday as remembrance day. Karunakaran, born in Kannur on July 5, 1918, moved to Thrissur later for studies at the Fine Arts College here. Through grass-root level works in the Congress party, Karunakaran became one of the most powerful leaders of the party.
AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal accompanied by Karunakaran's daughter and KPCC general secretary Padmaja Venugopal, DCC president T. N. Prathapan, Therambil Ramakrishnan and other congressmen paid tributes to the veteran leader at the 'Smrithimandapam' at Muralimandiram, Poonkunnam. Inaugurating the meeting, Venugopal criticised the BJP for its attempt to canvas MLAs in Karnataka. "The BJP made the democratic institutions including the judiciary a scarecrow and even tried to canvas the elected representatives. BJP leader, Amit Shah spearheaded this vicious campaign, but the Supreme Court verdict became a slap on their face," said Venugopal. He reiterated that it is the responsibility of each congressman to fight the communal forces in the country.
Venugopal also lashed out at the recent rift between young congressmen and the elders over the Rajyasabha seat allotment. "We all have groups and nobody can destroy it. But beyond the groups, an open discussion should resolve all the conflicts in the party", he said, adding that no one would approve if the party appoints someone based on some personal preferences, neglecting the leaders. He pointed out that for both K. Karunakaran and A. K. Antony, party was everything in life.