PERINTHALMANNA: In the absence of party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat inaugurated the construction work of the EMS Memorial at Elamkulam in Perinthalmanna on Saturday. (Pinarayi did not attend the function following the death of his elder brother Nanu in Kannur.) Addressing a gathering in front of EMS’ ancestral home at Elamkulam, Karat said the memorial would serve as a centre for learning for the public. “The party did not believe in erecting worthless monuments, but only those which would benefit the entire community,” he said.
Describing EMS’ life as a “rare phenomenon”, he said “history would not be fortunate enough to witness such personalities in the days ahead”.
“But, if we stay united, his ideology can effectively be communicated to the rest of the world, thus making his presence always felt in society,” he added.
Local Self-Government Minister Paloli Muhammadkkutty presided over the programme.
CPM area secretaries of Malappuram district handed over the contributions of party members to Karat for the construction of the memorial.
Meanwhile, the party leaders kept mum on the absence of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan at the centenary celebrations despite demands from various quarters to invite VS to the function.
The absence of Manjalamkuzhi Ali MLA, a VS supporter, was also conspicuous.
Prior to the function, CPM leaders, including Karat and Paloli, visited the Elamkulam Mana, EMS’ birthplace.
EMS’ family members accorded them a reception.
Participants of the national seminar also turned out in large numbers to have a close look at the ancestral home of the first Chief Minister of Kerala.
