V S Achuthanandan continues his way of protest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even 48 years after walking out from the Calcutta National council of Communist party of India, along with 31 others, Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan  continues with his way of protest. Whether it is in the Koodankulam agitation or Malabar Cements corruption issue, the octogenarian is following his own path. He inaugurated the Secretariat march on Wednesday demanding an investigation into the death of Saseendran, the company secretary of Malabar Cements, and his two children. The protest was marked by  an unusual line-up of participants whom his party has bitter ties. These included government chief whip P C George, JVS leader M R Murali, BJP leader Sobha Surendran, Vilayodi Venugopal of Plachimada Action council and Rahumattulah of Kinalur Action Council. Swami Agnivesh was also a noted participant.  In his address, Achuthanandan asked the the government to withdraw the order exonerating three of the accused in the Malabar Cements corruption case, including former Chief Secretary John Mathai.However, Achuthanandan is likely to toe the party line on the Koodamkulam issue for the time-being as the party secretary had briefed him about the ‘’anti-national’’ forces behind the agitation against the nuclear plant.  It is learnt that VS has conveyed his stand to the action council leaders who met him on Wednesday. He had earlier planned to visit the plant site expressing solidarity with the agitators despite opposition from the CPM’s Tamil Nadu unit. Incidentally it was on April 11, 1964,  he walked out in protest against the ‘Dangeist line’ along with six comrades from Kerala including  E M S Namboothirippad,  A K Gopalan,  A V Kunhambu, C H Kanaran, E K Nayanar and  E K Imbichibava, though they were a minority in  a 101-member national council. The theory of peaceful co-existence as a form of the continuation of the class struggle developed and applied by the erstwhile Soviet Union, was the root cause of this ideological rift.“Chairman Dange had used the majority for a wrong and undemocratic cause. Hence we protested against it and later held a plenum in Tenali and formed the Communist party of India (Marxist) and then conducted the party Congress in Calcutta,” said Achuthanandan. The only other surviving member in this team of 32 is N Sundarayya, the former secretary of party’s Tamil Nadu unit, who is bed-ridden.