Latest news with #Punnapra-Vayalar
New Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
VS Achuthanandan's fight begins and ends in Alappuzha
ALAPPUZHA: Valiyachudukadu has for long symbolised the revolutionary spirit of Alappuzha. The martyrs' column here has always occupied a position of pride in the revolutionary history of the state, especially as the last resting place of the Punnapra-Vayalar martyrs. For Leftists, this is where their comrades - right from legendary P Krishna Pillai to K R Gouri - have been laid to rest. On Wednesday, Valiya Chudukadu stood witness to the eternal rest of one of the most influential mass leaders of Kerala's Communist movement - Comrade V S Achuthanandan. VS, who was part of the Punnapra-Vayalar revolt, had been a regular here every year till 2019, arriving on the seventh of the Malayalam month of Thulam. The late leader truly embodied the spirit of the Punnapra revolt within. It had its reflection not just in the bayonet-pierced wound on his leg, but was also deeply etched in the Communist ideals he upheld all through his life. One of the few comrades handpicked by Krishna Pillai, VS maintained the same revolutionary fervour till the very end. An ideological hardliner and stickler for party norms for most of his life, VS undoubtedly drew inspiration from the bitter personal struggles he had to undergo at a very young age.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘You live on through us': Kerala says goodbye to ‘comrade VS'
As a sea of humanity including many generations of leaders whom he had inspired stood witness, the mortal remains of iconic Communist leader V S Achuthanandan were consigned to flames on Wednesday at Valiyachudukadu burial ground in Alappuzha – the resting place of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and several other communist leaders. Achuthanandan's pyre was lit up by his son V A Arunkumar late at night as thousands of party workers and leaders with clenched fists raised the slogan 'Brave Comrade VS, you live on through us.' Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby, legislators, MPs, leaders from various political parties gave a heroic farewell to Achuthanandan, the last among the founding leaders of the CPI(M). Earlier in the day, the body of Achuthanandan, who died on Monday when three months were left for him to turn 102, was brought to his hometown Alappuzha. Thousands of people cutting across party lines gave an emotional farewell to the beloved leader. That VS, a former chief minister, had been away from limelight and active political life since suffering a stroke in 2019 had not impacted the turnout of mourners. A flower-decorated low-floor bus, which was converted into a hearse, had a tough time wading through the warmth and love of thousands of people who lined up both sides of the road to give the final 'lal salam'' to the departed leader. Throughout the procession, emotionally-filled people were running along with the cortege for miles until they got exhausted, while some others were seen strewing flower petals on the cortege. Party workers and common man from far flung regions of the state had thronged on the road to give 'red salute' to the leader who is known as a darling of the common man and champion of their causes. The cortege took 22 hours to cover a distance of around 150 kms from Thiruvananthapuram to Alappuzha. After the cortege reached Alappuzha around noon, the body was taken to his Velikkakathu house at Punnapra, where VS's wife Vasumathi and other family members gave a tearful adieu. Later, the body was taken to the Alappuzha district committee office of the CPI(M), which was VS's second home during his early years of political life in the undivided Communist Party. Before being ferried to the Valiyachudukadu burial ground, the body was kept at a seaside ground for public viewing, where thousands queued up braving heavy rains to give final farewell to VS. The 40 cent burial ground, which is close to communist hearts, is the resting place of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and several early leaders of the Communist movement such as T V Thomas, K R Gouriyamma, P T Punnoose, R Sugathan and P K Chandranandan. Achuthanandan had recalled that he was inspired into political work by Thomas and Sugathan, among others. His pyre was arranged near the resting place of Thomas and Punnose. Every year, VS used to pay tributes to the martyrs on the commemoration of the event in October. The last time he visited Valiyachudukadu was during the annual commemoration in October 2019 and that was his last public function, before being bedridden.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Leader of the masses comes home one last time
Kottayam: The final journey of V S Achuthanandan reached his birthplace, Punnapra, Alappuzha, on Wednesday — a return to the land where his political life first took root, where he organized historic struggles for working class communties and where he emerged as one of the leaders of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. His mortal remains arrived at the Velikkakath House around 12.15 noon, more than 22 hours after leaving the state capital and well past the initially scheduled arrival time of 10pm on Tuesday. Ministers Saji Cherian and P Prasad received the funeral procession upon its arrival. Despite steady rain, thousands of mourners gathered from early morning to pay their final respects to the departed leader. Long queues formed outside the house from 6am as people from across the state waited patiently. The mortal remains were first taken inside for relatives to pay homage before being brought out for public viewing. A Suresh, former personal assistant to V S, recalled how the veteran leader made it a point to visit this house twice every year. "He never missed being here for Onam, when he had the traditional sadhya and for the Punnapra-Vayalar anniversary in Oct," Suresh said. "Once here, V S would transform into a karanavar — the family patriarch. A lot of visitors used to flock in, including neighbours, old friends and relatives. " The house, he added, is more than a family home — it stands as a symbol and memorial of the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle. V S last visited in 2019 before failing health halted his travels. Earlier in the day, the funeral procession entered Alappuzha district after 7am. Along the way, hundreds of people — men, women, and children — lined the roadsides to pay tribute. The route passed through historically significant locations, evoking memories of a glorious past tied to the departed leader. Around 7.15am, it passed by in front of the KPAC headquarters in Kayamkulam — the iconic theatre movement that staged the play Ningal Enne Communist Aakki (You Made Me a Communist), a milestone in Kerala's political history. A large crowd had gathered there, cutting across party lines, to honour the departed leader. In Harippad, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala joined the crowd paying homage. The procession continued through Ambalappuzha, where V S first contested elections, with paddy farmers and fisherfolk gathering in large numbers. It also passed the symbolic Thottappally bridge, a symbol of Kuttanad farmers' struggles that V S championed. Among those who paid their respects at the house were ministers R Bindu, K Krishnankutty, Maharashtra governor P Radhakrishnan, N K Premachandran MP, MLAs M V Govindan, H Salam, M S Arun Kumar, Mathew T Thomas, Mohammed Muhasin, P K Kunjalikutty, CPM general secretary M A Baby, senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran, Muslim League leader Panakad Sadikali Shihab Thangal, writer Benyamin, former MP MM Arif, former MLAs C K Sadasivan and K K Shaju. At 2.40pm, the body was placed in a KSRTC bus for the journey to the CPM district committee office.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Adieu, comrade: Achuthanandan rests after decades of struggles
Alappuzha: Former chief minister V S Achuthanandan was cremated with state honours at Valiya Chudukadu, the final resting place of many communist leaders and the martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, here on Wednesday night. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Heavy rain that lashed the area did not dampen the spirits of his supporters, who gathered in large numbers to catch a last glimpse of the veteran leader. Their slogans rent the air as police and red volunteers gave a final salute to the 101-year-old veteran draped in the party flag. "Comrade VS, you live on through us," the crowd chanted in unison as police gave a gun salute and sounded the bugle. His son V A Arunkumar lit the funeral pyre at 9.16 pm in the presence of VS's wife Vasumathi, daughter V V Asha, and thousands of mourners. Those who turned up to catch a final glimpse of Comrade VS included ordinary people, women and youngsters, cutting across party lines. The mortal remains were brought to the ground by 8.50 pm. Achuthanandan was cremated near the final resting place of his political guru, P Krishna Pillai. It was Pillai who identified the fighter in him when he was a boy and gave him some important challenges, like organising the farmers in Kuttanad, which the latter took up and completed successfully. The ground is also the resting place of Communist leaders like R Sugathan, T V Thomas, P K Chandranandan, K R Gowri, P T Punnoose and M N Govindan Nair, besides the martyrs of the uprising that shaped the rise of the Communist movement in the state. Earlier in the day, the funeral procession from the state capital took 22 hours to reach his hometown Alappuzha, owing to the massive turnout of people who lined the roadsides to catch a glimpse of him through the night. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 150-km journey was significantly delayed by the sheer size of the crowd that flooded the roads. His emotional bond with ordinary people was evident in the crowds, especially because he was absent from public life for more than five years. The entourage reached his Velikkakath house at 12.15pm. Senior party leaders, including chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, general secretary M A Baby, state secretary M V Govindan and S Ramachandra Pillai, were present at the district committee office since morning. At the Recreation Grounds in Alappuzha beach, police accorded a guard of honour, led by state police chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar, to the former chief minister. The public homage at the grounds was delayed by over seven hours. People from far-off places were waiting there from the morning despite the rain, and they were allowed to pay respects after leaders and prominent personalities. The public tributes had to be stopped by 8.10pm as the funeral was getting delayed. A condolence meeting was held, immediately after the funeral, at Valiya Chudukadu. BJP leaders K Surendran and Sobha Surendran, besides Congress MP K C Venugopal and opposition leader V D Satheesan, were also among those who paid homage to the departed leader. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also paid his respects to the veteran at Haripad in the district.
News18
10 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Brave Comrade VS: Kerala bids farewell to Achuthanandan at Valiya Chudukadu
Alappuzha (Kerala), Jul 23 (PTI) The mortal remains of former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan were consigned to flames on Wednesday at Valiya Chudukadu — the final resting place that holds the memories of the Communist Party and the ashes of those martyred in the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising in this coastal district. With the police and red volunteers giving the final salute and flames engulfing the veteran's body, an overwhelmed crowd chanted in unison, 'Brave Comrade VS, you live on through us,' their voices echoing across the soil that witnessed the uprising which helped shape the rise of the Communist movement in the state. Valiya Chudukadu is also the resting place of Communist leaders such as the legendary P Krishna Pillai and others who were part of the uprising and the movement that followed. His body was cremated with full state honours, with the police rendering a gun salute and sounding a bugle. Later, his face was covered with a red flag. Amidst slogans being raised by party workers, his son V A Arun Kumar lit the pyre at 9:16 pm. And thus, Achuthanandan — one of the most popular Chief Ministers of the state — has become part of history. The stalwart, one of India's most respected Communist figures, died on Monday, drawing the curtain on a fierce, eight-decade-long struggle for the proletariat that the southern state had witnessed. The 22-hour-long final procession from the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, which began on Tuesday and ended in his hometown Alappuzha, stood as proof of the deep emotional and ideological bond the 101-year-old shared with the working class of Kerala. The journey of around 150 kilometres, which normally takes just over four hours, was significantly delayed due to the massive turnout of ordinary people and staunch admirers of Achuthanandan, who lined the waysides to catch a final glimpse of him. The sheer size of the crowd that flooded the roads was striking, especially for a leader who had remained silent and absent from public life for more than five years. It showed that, even though Comrade VS was no longer active in public life, his tireless struggles, agitations, and unwavering stands for the poor, the marginalised, women, and the underprivileged remained deeply etched in the minds of the people of Kerala — cutting across political lines. While many people expressed satisfaction that they were at least able to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader after waiting for hours in the rain, others broke down in tears, having missed the chance due to the heavy crowds. 'I was waiting here for so long… but I couldn't see my Comrade one last time. I couldn't get through the crowd and reach the bus," said an elderly woman, crying aloud in dismay. In another part of Alappuzha, a group of Congress workers were seen raising thundering slogans in honour of Achuthanandan. When asked, they said there was no politics or prejudice involved in Comrade VS's case — he was a true Communist who lived and died as one, and every slogan they raised was a token of their respect. In Haripad, in the district, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also paid his last respects to the veteran before the procession moved on to his ancestral home, Velikkakath. When his mortal remains were brought to his home, the crowd hailed him as the 'beloved son of Punnapra" and paid their final respects. Ministers Saji Cheriyan and P Prasad, along with other party workers, coordinated the arrangements for the public homage at the house. From senior leaders of various political parties to local workers in the area, thousands of people converged at the house to see their 'revolutionary sun" one last time. Later, the veteran's body was taken to the party's district committee office in Alappuzha, which is named after Krishna Pillai — the revolutionary leader, who handpicked and mentored Achuthanandan in the Communist movement. Senior party leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party veteran S Ramachandra Pillai, had been present since morning at the district committee office but the massive crowd lining the roads threw all prior plans into disarray. When the mortal remains were brought to the recreation ground for the scheduled public homage, the flow of mourners and their emotions became uncontrollable. Even as the rain lashed down and trains thundered by in the distance, the Alappuzha Recreation Ground echoed on Wednesday with chants saluting Achuthanandan. Undeterred by the relentless downpour, people kept arriving in waves, turning the coastal town into a sea of memories and slogans. The crowd surged towards the Alappuzha coast to catch a final glimpse of Achuthanandan. His funeral procession reached the Recreation Ground around 6 pm, where police officials draped the national flag over his body and presented a guard of honour. Leaders from various political, social, and cultural spheres paid their last respects. Arrangements were made for the public to pay homage in four lines, and even after waiting for more than eight hours, people from across Kerala stood patiently to see him one last time. Later, as heavy rain continued to pour, Achuthanandan's body was taken to Valiya Chudukadu, the resting place of many Communist leaders and martyrs. Thousands braved the weather to follow the final journey of the veteran leader. PTI LGK TGB ROH (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 22:00 IST News agency-feeds Brave Comrade VS: Kerala bids farewell to Achuthanandan at Valiya Chudukadu Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
