Tuesday, July 14, 2009

V.S. Achudanandan Zindabad

Don’t ask me why and when I started to respect this man but the events that unfolded the recent week has made me sad. He seems to have been ditched by all and only the welcome slogans at the Airport when VS returned from Delhi gave a bit of solace.

If one looks at Kerala’s political scene, out of those politicians who have emerged as leaders, there are only two living politicians whom one can confidently say are honest and clean. One is A. K. Anthony and the other V.S. Achudanandan. Forget the rest of their character flaws that the press and most of us love to joke about but let us admit that being honest in politics and for that matter in any field has become a rarity these days. And yes one will say that politics is not the place to be honest. But then honesty and integrity has become outdated and the last place one expects to find it is in the political arena.

V.S. fought life the hard way. He lost his parents at a young age and had to discontinue his studies to earn his bread. He climbed the party rungs with his hard work and dedication. He was also tortured by the police and almost left to die. He was punished even earlier by his party since he thought beyond the party and for the common man. Yet he doggedly stood for his beliefs and continues to be a wonder at his age – 87 years! But this party seems to have lost it all. V.S. was voted to power by those who trusted him and the party that he stood for, but alas the party’s agenda had already taken a different route.

In a democratic set up does one really care for a political party if it cannot meet the expectation of those who voted it to power? If the party feels that V.S. is the cause for the party’s downfall then what fear makes them keep him in the CM’s chair? Does the party think that the Lavlin and the PDP ghosts will stop haunting the party? I am sure the camps of other political parties in Kerala are heaving a sigh of relief since their job has now become easier.

But then I am also made to believe that communism has done its job and Kerala no longer requires it. The party’s fight for the poor and against the caste system did help a section of the society while inviting irk from others. But now Kerala no longer seems to have those sections and this may be called progress if one can also forget the lost opportunities. Earlier, it was easy to find help around the house and for whatever land is now left for cultivation. But such helping hands have become a rarity in many places these days, even if one is ready to pay the exorbitant wages. Yes, the labour class is having it good. Not that one can attribute this entirely to the Communists since the exodus to the Gulf and other countries is also another reason. Communism also made us take a harder look at our religious idiosyncrasies when at times our religious fervor went beyond normalcy.

Yes, Communism in Kerala could have stood for what its leaders envisaged but alas the party doesn’t care to have lost it.

11 comments:

  1. hmm..though am not a big fan of achuthanandan...

    atleast in the context of troubles brewing in CPM..i feel he is a man of principles...respect for him to standing up against guys like P.V.

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  2. I lost respect for him when he misbehaved with the father of Major Unnikrishnan...even a dog would not have entered your house... that is what he told father who was enraged because he took an eternity to go and give respect to the martyr.

    He may be honest, but it seems that power does get into the head of all politicians eventually...

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  3. Asha, Delighted that you are back! How was your vacation? Will read the post and comment now :)

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  4. I did not know the background on VS. But yes, with all that has happened in the CPM, He certainly comes across as someone honest and willing to take a stand..

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  5. Mathew..I was not a big fan either until I got to know him better... need to give him kudos for what he has become despite his circumstances..

    and

    man of principles... dont we need more of his kind?

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  6. Vinod: Sure he has his quirks but the media and other political parties as usual did overplay that incident....nd Major Uniikrishnan's father apologized to the CM later..

    as for the "dog" word.. let the Malayali's who speak malayalam tell me that they have never used this word themselves... well that number will be in minority..

    that word is a part of the colloquial language and the CM could have avoided it.. but one has to also know him better to understand him..

    I did mention the same in my own blog..

    http://under-the-tree-of-tranquility.blogspot.com/2008/12/back-in-business.html

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  7. Smitha: I am back :).. did have a lovely time..

    Yes Smitha.. we need more of his kind before the whole State goes to the dogs... if the left is gone then the right will have a time of their life and I can already see the gleam in their eyes!

    or maybe let us wait and watch.. new players can emerge...

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  8. Im late responding but in all honesty, I've no respect for the man. Sorry. I dont believe in this communism and the preachers of this archaic ideology. VS was destined to land where he has landed now, and I've no sympathy for a man who refuses to learn from mistakes.

    Ruling a state like Kerala is not the job for people like him.

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  9. Scorpio: I guess you echoed the sentiments of the majority of the Keralites, specially the youngsters.. sure Communism is no longer viable for the state specially since the party itself has lost whatever itegrity it had.

    and VS, I guess his kind is rare and he is the product of a Kerala that we have forgotten. a Kerala that is not remembered even by the oldies.

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  10. One of the very few statesmen in India, perhaps. I am easily impressed by politicians who evidently practise "cleanliness".
    And you have explained the Bangalore incident perfectly.

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  11. Swarna: thank u! nd I hear there is more trouble for him and he may be ousted from his chair.. sad state of affairs...

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