THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Decades before Pinarayi Vijayan popularised CEO-style administration in the state, KR Gouri had silently practised a style of governance in which vision, determination and optimism harmoniously blended to achieve targets that appeared impossible. Ever since her first stint as the minister in 1957, Gouri displayed exemplary administrative acumen and cultivated a team of efficient officers.
Technopark founding CEO G Vijayaraghavan used to recall an episode about how the then industries minister Gouri moved files to take over 50 acres of land owned by the University of Kerala for setting up the country’s first IT park. “She rang up two of the syndicate members, G Sudhakaran and Devadas, and asked them to meet her at her residence. I was also asked to join the discussion. She told them that Technopark is a very important project and 50 acres of land needs to be given.
She said it is your responsibility to ensure that it is done soon. When they tried to say something, she said the decision had been taken. ‘Get it done’,” he recalled in his Facebook page. Within weeks, the process was complete. Former bureaucrat and former union minister S Krishnakumar was the excise commissioner when Gouri decided to formulate the state’s first excise policy while serving as the minister in the second EMS ministry. “She gave me a free hand in modernising the excise department. She always appreciated good work and I had maintained a close relationship with her.
Knowing about my work, she had even recommended to EMS to post me as the Ernakulam collector,” Krishnakumar told TNIE. It was Gouri who piloted the Kerala Agrarian Relations Bill in the first year of office. Sensing that there would be a delay in enacting the law that gave legal protection for the work and right of land to workers (kudikidappukar) attached to landlords, Gouri introduced the Kerala Stay of Eviction Proceedings Bill, 1957, so that none of the landlords could evict their tenants. These bills presented by Gouri laid the foundation for the land reforms movement in the state which got completed only in 1970 when C Achutha Menon was the chief minister. As a result, 83,357 agriculture workers got land ownership.
Another important law that got enacted by Gouri was the Kerala Public Men Corruption (Investigation and Inquiries) Act of 1987. Even before the Prevention of Corruption Act was discussed at the national level, the state became a model by enacting a legislation to punish corrupt government servants. The Kerala Women’s Commission Bill was also introduced in the assembly by Gouri in 1991 though the bill became an Act during the tenure of the next government. While she was serving as the agriculture minister in the E K Nayanar government in 1980, Gouri founded Milma which is now one of the prestigious cooperatives in the state.
Her iron will was not only on displaye in administrative affairs, but inside the party too. Taking on the macho male club of leaders, Gouri continuously revolted in the party committees, questioning the rationale behind denial of the chief minister’s post to her in 1987 and cooking up of corruption charges against her.
The state committee meetings prior to her expulsion in 1994 were eventful as she had questioned the leadership without the support of anyone. Later, in media interviews, Gouri revealed that she had even faced casteist slur from senior leaders in the state committee. “It was like the insult suffered by Panchali in Kaurava sabha,” she had often commented.
AN IRON FIST WOMAN
Her iron will was not only on display in administrative affairs, but inside the party too. She continuously revolted in the party committees, questioning the rationale behind denial of the chief minister’s post to her in 1987 and cooking up of corruption charges against her.