THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Legislative Assembly on Monday paid rich homage to late MLA P T Thomas. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Thomas had a strong stand on various matters. He raised people’s issues in Parliament and assembly. In the case of the Western Ghats and other matters, he took a position unacceptable to his party and front.
He had an unconventional stand on the environment and religious matters. He stood by his convictions. “Sometimes his stands were individual-centric. But taking a stand without bothering about its acceptability made him a distinguished person,” Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Thomas believed that religion’s intervention in politics was dangerous and hence instructed to make his funeral a secular function. “You can accept or reject his words. But you couldn’t ignore him,” he said. Thomas presented issues in the House after sufficient homework. He had a difficult childhood and showed simplicity throughout his life.