KOCHI: Veteran Communist and former CPM central committee member M M Lawrence, 95, died at a private hospital in Kochi on Saturday.
One of the top leaders of the CPM in Kerala in the 1980s and 1990s, Lawrence served as LDF convenor, was elected the CPM Ernakulam district secretary in 1967, and was the state committee and state secretariat member from 1978 to 1998 and central committee member from 1986 to 1998.
His mortal remains will be kept at Lenin Centre from 8am to 9am on Monday for party leaders to offer tributes. The body will be kept at Ernakulam Town Hall from 9am to 4pm. It will be handed over to Ernakulam Medical College at 4pm, as per the leader’s wish.
Among the first generation leaders of undivided Communist party in Kerala, Lawrence was part of the 17-member squad who stormed Edappally police station on February 28, 1950, demanding the release of Communist leaders N K Madhavan and Vareethootty.
He never compromised on ideology
Two policemen died in the incident. Lawrence, who was 21, was the party’s town committee secretary at the time. Following the incident, he was subjected to brutal torture and was incarcerated for 22 months. He was arrested again during the Emergency and spent around six years in jail.
A communist to the core, Lawrence never compromised on ideology and had a sharp tongue. His stubborn attitude led to his demotion from a CPM central committee member to an area committee member in 1998 following the Save CPM Forum controversy. However, he was reinstated as a district committee member in 2002 and state committee member in 2005.
Lawrence played a key role in uniting unorganised labourers in Kochi including manual scavengers, port workers, transport workers and labourers in the merchant shipping sector, who were subjected to exploitation.
Though a tall leader, Lawrence was not much successful in electoral politics. He contested in the assembly elections four times – from Ernakulam in 1970 and 2006, Palluruthy in 1977, and Tripunithura in 1991, but never won. However, he represented Idukki in the Lok Sabha from 1980 to 1984.
Born to Madamakkal Avira Mathu and Mangalath Mariyam of Mulavukad on June 15, 1929, Lawrence entered politics after completing Class 10 education and was granted Communist party embership in 1946 at just 17 years of age.
He was expelled from St Albert’s School for tucking the Tricolour in his pocket in support of the freedom struggle.
He is survived by sons M L Sajeevan, M L Abi and daughter Asha Lawrence.
