AFTER fifty years, on a rain-drenched day, the Aravukadu temple ground turned red again – in the memory of the legendary declaration that made people, who had no place to live, the owners of the land on which they toiled turning their blood into sweat for generations.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the 50th memorial function of the legendary Aravukadu temple ground declaration by AK Gopalan that whether the president gives his approval or not, “we will claim our rights for the land.

The fiftieth anniversary of the declaration, which altered the social structure of Kerala, was attended by the families of the martyrs and those who participated in the struggles which followed the call by AKG. The torrential rain didn’t affect the enthusiasm of the massive crowd that had gathered at the function.

S Ramachandran Pillai, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, who was present at the Aravukadu conference, recalled the struggles following the declaration. Kerala Agriculture Workers Union district president K Raghavan read the message by senior leader VS Achuthanandan, who was the chief organiser of the Aravukadu conference. Minister G Sudhakaran, who was a student volunteer at the conference, presided over the meeting.

Central Committee member TM Thomas Isaac, Alappuzha district secretary R Nasser, AM Arif, MP, Kerala Karshaka Sangam state secretary KV Ramakrishnan, Kerala Agriculture Workers Union state secretary NR Balan, Karshaka Sangam Alappuzha district president Shrikumar Unnithan, Saji Cherian MLA, CB Chandrababu, CS Sujatha, Kerala Agriculture Workers Union state treasurer B Raghavan, Kerala Agriculture Workers Union district secretary M Sathyapalan, MLAs R Rajesh, U Pratibha and district panchayat president G Venugopal were also present. The 50th annual meeting was organised by the Kerala Karshaka Sangam and Kerala Agriculture Workers Union.

When the president did not sign the Land Reform Amendment Bill passed by the EMS Namboodiripad government, the Kerala Agriculture Workers Union and agriculture labour organisations and progressive movements held a meeting at the Aravukadu temple grounds on December 13 and 14, 1969 to discuss the modalities to implement the law. On November 1, 1969, the EMS-led Left government was toppled by a united front stitched together by the Congress with the blessings of its central leadership to prevent the implementation of land reform measures.

Comrade AKG presided over the conference. The meeting was attended by Kisan Sabha leader Harekrishna Konar, CPI(M) leaders EMS, P Sundarayya, leaders of other workers and peasants parties.

VS Achuthanandan was the chief organiser. Following the declaration, since January 1970, thousands of people had entered the land claiming ownership. There were 18 martyrs in the state, including Kavalam Sreedharan of Alappuzha, Kallikkad Neelakantan and Bhargavi. As a result of the struggles, about 28 lakh tenants got the right to the land they tilled. Over 5.30 lakh hutment dwellers got ownership of their huts and land.

As Com EMS had stated, land reforms of Kerala have broken the caste-feudal domination in the state’s society.

Speaking at the meeting, Yechury said that the people of Kerala are leading the fight against the centre’s attempt to destroy the democratic and secular fabric of the country. Attempts have been made to destroy the constitutional values. Prime Minister’s economic advisory Arvind Subramaniam has warned that the country’s economy is in an intensive care unit and if the present condition lasts, it will have severe effects.

“There are nation-wide protests against the various policies of the centre. The resistance is getting stronger with the participation of students, intellectuals, youth, industrial workers, kisans and agriculture workers. The strike on January 8, 2020, is the next step of this,” Yechury pointed out.

Yechury also said that Kerala holds secular values as a core its society and is the only state where one is not discriminated on the basis of caste, creed, religion, or gender. “That is the greatness of Kerala’s secular values,” he added.

Speaking at the function, SR Pillai said that the Aravukadu declaration and the achievements after that have had revolutionary changes in all spheres of Kerala. He also said that attempts have been made to undermine these achievements and any such move should be resisted.

“The Aravukadu declaration is one of the important episodes of India’s history of popular struggles. It is the meeting that declared the slogan of ‘land to the tillers’. The aim of the meeting, the declaration and the brilliant resistance to the government-sponsored attacks will be remembered in the history of Indian kisan and agriculture workers movements,” he said.

It was anticipated that kisans will be given land once India attains freedom. But, the Congress Party was not ready to fulfill this promise. The struggle for this demand after the Aravukadu meeting is the biggest in India. This struggle has contributed majorly towards building a modern Kerala and the development of the state. This struggle benefited one in every three families in Kerala.

The centre is trying to destroy the advancement of Kerala through the neo-liberalisation and anti-democratic policies. By imbibing the enthusiasm of the Aravukadu meeting, such attempts must be resisted, SRP said.

In his message, Achuthanandan said that even now attempts are underway to snatch land away from the tillers. “We must not give up a single inch of land. Kerala’s kisan and agriculture workers should be committed towards this goal.