Legacy of VS Lives On: Delhi Meet Pays Tribute
A CONDOLENCE meeting chaired by Amra Ram, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, was held in Delhi at HKS Surjeet Bhavan on July 30, to commemorate the life and legacy of Comrade V S Achuthanandan.
In his address, Amra Ram said that VS not only fought tirelessly for the cause of the working masses but also proved to be an efficient administrator, reviving many public sector undertakings during his tenure. He noted that the massive turnout during VS’s final journey across three districts reflected how deeply he remains in the hearts of the people of Kerala.
M A Baby, CPI(M) general secretary, recalled his early association with VS during his student days, through the Kollam district committee, the state committee of the Party, and later as a colleague in his cabinet. He spoke of VS's personal hardships in his early life, including having to discontinue his education. It was Communist leader P Krishna Pillai who mentored VS, and his first task in the Party was to organise agricultural labourers suffering under some of the worst forms of feudalism in the 1940s and 1950s. What VS lacked in formal education, he gained through what Baby called “people’s universities,” making him not just a mass leader but also a capable administrator.
VS, he said, skillfully combined governance and struggle, even during times of severe fiscal strain in the state. It was under his chief ministership that free software was introduced in Kerala's education system, replacing proprietary software.
Mariam Dhawale, Polit Bureau member, said VS was one of the 32 National Council members who walked out of the undivided CPI to form the CPI(M) under extremely difficult circumstances. Through his life, he demonstrated that wherever there is oppression, a Communist rises. She highlighted his efforts in women’s empowerment, including legislation mandating 50 per cent reservation for women in local self-government institutions, his stand against Coca-Cola’s excessive water extraction, and his support for Endosulfan victims. She concluded by saying that, in these difficult times marked by growing oppression, the key lesson from VS's life is to remain among the people and continue the struggle.
P Sandosh Kumar, MP and CPI representative, said VS’s life teaches us that Communists can overcome all odds and ultimately triumph.
Raja Ram, MP from CPI(ML) Liberation, emphasized that the contributions of leaders like VS are foundational to the Kerala we see today.
Vijoo Krishnan, Polit Bureau member, recalled the slogans raised by the people during VS's final procession: “VS, the apple of our eye, who said you have died? He hasn’t, he lives through us.” He also spoke of the Debt Relief Commission constituted by the VS-led LDF government in response to the devastating impact of the Free Trade Agreement with Sri Lanka, which had driven many cash crop farmers in Kerala to suicide. He added that the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy under VS was the highest in the country at the time.
Prakash Karat, CPI(M) former general secretary, reflected on his seven-decade-long association with VS, highlighting his unwavering class perspective as the cornerstone of his political positions. He said this perspective played a crucial role in the development of the Kerala unit of the Party. VS’s use of parliamentary positions to advance people’s struggles was exemplary, and his deep ideological convictions gave him immense courage, even in the face of adversity. Karat concluded by saying that VS became a symbol of the working-class struggle, and it is the duty of the Communist movement to carry forward his unparalleled legacy.
The meeting, organised by the Central Committee of the Party, witnessed large participation from people across various walks of life. Anurag Saxena, CPI(M) Delhi state secretary, welcomed the speakers to the dais.
