THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Experts have called for an investigation into the historical developments that led to the dismissal of the first Communist government in Kerala led by EMS Namboodiripad. The demand has come in the wake of discussions initiated by a recent book shedding light on the role played by the global plantation lobby. TNIE had earlier reported about the new revelations on the plantation lobby’s role in the Left government’s dismissal.
The book ‘Global Capital and Peripheral Labour’ by labour expert and state planning board member K Ravi Raman, had come out with a new revelation into the dismissal of the EMS government. Contrary to the general perception that it was the CIA that had played a major role in toppling the first Left government in India, the British agents too made substantial contributions, said the book.
An author’s corner organised in connection with the New Delhi World Book Fair the other day, held detailed discussions on the matter. As per the book, nationalization of the plantations was a major agenda in the first election manifesto of the undivided communist party in Kerala.
Communist leader A K Gopalan moved a motion in Parliament on December 14, 1956, for nationalisation of British plantations in Kerala, the panellists pointed out. It has been pointed out that the liberation struggle was also supported by the plantation lobby. “James Finlay owned Kannan Devan Company and they lobbied for the dismissal of the government with the support of the British planters’ lobby,” the panellists observed.
The book was originally published by Routledge, London. Senior journalist T K Arun, Dr Rinchu Raisaly of Dr Ambedkar University, Dr Justin Mathew of Delhi University, All India Kisan Sabha national executive member Nidheesh Villat and State Planning Board member Ravi Raman attended the discussion which was moderated by Shibu Sridhar, assistant director, State Institute of Languages which published the Malayalam translation of the book.