THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Those who want to exclude Variamkunnath Kunhamed Haji and other leaders of the Malabar Rebellion from the list of freedom fighters do not have any understanding on the Freedom Struggle, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. All had accepted these leaders as freedom fighters, he said.
The chief minister said the Independence movement was not just one form but different forms like sacrificial agitation, individual satyagrahas, mass movements, rebellions mobilising farmers, workers and armed rebellions. These agitations by people of different political parties and vision had the common aim to oust the British from India. Their visions differed also on the government afterwards. None has the right to conclude that they were not part of the Freedom Struggle just because they had different views, Pinarayi said.
Mohammed Abdul Rahman had called it the Malabar Rebellion. Communists viewed it as a farmers’ rebellion of Malabar. None can deny the fact that the 1921 revolt was against the British. It grew as an agitation against the feudal lords who aided the British. It is a fact that certain people tried to divert the rebellion in a wrong way. It should be viewed in that sense only.
Variamkunnath had opposed people of different religions who supported the British. The rebellion leaders killed Khan Bahadur Chekkutty and Thayyil Moideen. Historical documents show that Variyamkunnath had taken a strong stand against those who killed innocent people. Madhava Menon had recorded a meeting he had with Variamkunnath. When Menon pointed out the wrong tendencies, Variamkunath told him that he went there to end those. Sardar Chandroth had recorded a statement by Variyamkunnath that a religious state was not his aim.