Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said that C Achutha Menon was a Chief Minister who was admired by people as well as politicians cutting across party lines.
Inaugurating the valedictory function of the year-long celebration of the birth centenary of C Achutha Menon organised by the C Achutha Menon Study Centre here on Sunday, he said that Achutha Menon was one of the great visionaries who shaped modern Kerala. “He was soft spoken but was able to lead a coalition government, taking everyone into confidence, that too at a time when the government faced many challenges. There were many capable leaders in the coalition government and by leading them in unity, he proved that he was the leader of the leaders,” he said.
Vayalar Ravi said that Achutha Menon was the best Chief Minister Kerala had ever seen and his commendable works stands as testimony of the great visionary.
“I used to interact with him when he was the MP, before he became the Chief Minister. Every meeting with him only increased my respect towards him. For us, he was not a Communist leader but a successful Chief Minister who set an example for others to follow,” Vayalar Ravi said. The minister said that the youngsters who were coming to public life should be well versed about the role played by Achutha Menon as a Chief Minister and as a leader.
Vayalar Ravi also released the postal stamp brought out by the Postal Department in memory of Achutha Menon.
Post-Master General Shoba Koshy, E Chandrashekaran Nair, Thalekunnil Basheer, M Vijayakumar, C Divakaran, N K Premachandran and Benoy Viswam also spoke at the function.