Latest news with #Sadanandan
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Legs hacked by Left supporters, how RS entrant Sadanandan's case played out in the courts
Sadanandan, a former SFI member, was attacked by several men in January 1994, years after he left the communist party for the RSS. Sadanandan lost both his legs in the attack near Kannur district's Thalassery. The police arrested 12 people, all of them with links to the Communist party. Eight were convicted, while four were acquitted due to the lack of evidence. Nearly a decade later, Sadanandan's nomination to Rajya Sabha is a reminder of Kerala's long history of political violence and revenge murders, most of which involve the CPIM and the BJP. Thiruvananthapuram: At a rally in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly polls, Prime Minister Modi held up the hand of the BJP candidate from Kannur's Koothuparambu constituency, C. Sadanandan Master, highlighting the 'brutality committed by the communists' in the State. According to court documents, the attackers also set off a bomb to create an atmosphere of terror in the area. Analysts say that almost three decades later, the BJP is trying to use Sadanandan's Rajya Sabha entry to highlight Kerala's history of political killings, especially in Kannur district. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his life as an epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. 'Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable,' the Prime Minister wrote on X. However, Joseph C. Mathew, a state-based political analyst, said: 'I don't think it's going to help the BJP in any way. They may try to create a parallel history and ideological base. They might have been victims of violence, but it was a local tussle and not for a larger cause,' Mathew said. Appeal for enhanced punishment turned down In 2014, Sadanandan approached the Kerala HC asking that the punishment for his attackers be increased, but the court turned it down in January this year, saying such an appeal could only be made by the state government. 'In light of the gravity of the offence committed, the sentence of seven years appears to be very light. However, the State, for reasons best known to them, has not filed an appeal,' the Kerala High Court observed while dismissing his appeal. However, the court enhanced the compensation payable by the eight convicted men from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 each. Pronouncing the verdict, the Kerala High Court said the accused as well as the Marxist party workers were maintaining a hostile attitude towards Sadanandan since he left the party. Quoting the trial court's judgment, the High Court noted that Sadanandan, 'a charismatic and efficient leader, was making his mark in the locality, and his efforts helped in spreading and strengthening the roots of his party in the area,' which the rival party could not accept. Of the accused, some had previously worked closely with Sadanandan in the party. The Principal Assistant Sessions Judge, Thalassery, sentenced the convicted to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000. Though the convicted men approached the court challenging the verdict, their appeal was dismissed in 2013. The accused were found guilty under the charges of IPC section 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 342 (wrongful confinement), 326 (grievous hurt with dangerous weapons), and 307 (attempt to murder). 'The attack seems to have been premeditated and well planned. As noticed earlier and at the risk of repetition, it needs to be noted that not only had A1 to A8 hacked PW1 (Sadanandan) repeatedly leading to both his legs being severed, they also made sure that nobody approached PW1 to rescue/save him. This makes the offences all the more grave/severe,' the court observed. Attack and counter-attack Incidentally, Sadanandan's attack was followed by the murder of an SFI worker named K.V. Sudheesh in Kannur the same year. 'If I hadn't lost my legs, Sudheesh would not have died, that's the analysis. If you ask me if it's right, it's not when we think about humanity. But it was a normal reaction from the workers when they saw their district leader had been amputated. That might be the emotion behind Sudheesh's death,' Sadanandan later said in an interview given to local Malayalam TV channel Asianet News. As per court documents, one Janardhanan, a CPI(M) worker, was also attacked at Mattannur shortly after the attack, in which Sadanandan himself was an accused. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Kerala reported 42 political murders between 2016 and 2022. Of the total, 15 happened in 2016. Nationwide, this was the third highest after Jharkhand (92) and Bihar (85). (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: 26/11 prosecutor, ex-foreign secretary & Kerala poll violence victim: Stories of 4 Rajya Sabha nominees
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Who is C Sadanandan? Who lost his legs in 1994 political violence; now nominated to Rajya Sabha
NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday nominated C Sadanandan, Kerala BJP vice-president and a survivor of brutal political violence in Kannur, to the Rajya Sabha. Who is C Sadanandan Master? The 61-year-old retired teacher hails from Parinchery in Kannur, a region long marked by political clashes. Sadanandan is married to Vanitha Rani, a retired teacher, and they have a daughter, Yamunabharathi S. Sadanandan lost both his legs in 1994, when he was the RSS sarkaryavahak of Kannur, in a brutal attack by alleged CPM cadres. The assault, which occurred in Uravachal village on the night of January 25, 1994, involved assailants pinning him down and hacking off both legs, which were later found discarded nearby. Though police arrived and rushed him to the hospital, his legs could not be reattached due to lack of facilities. At the time, Sadanandan was a teacher at Kuzhikkal LP School. Despite the horrific attack, Sadanandan continued his association with RSS and BJP, walking with the help of prosthetic legs. He went on to contest elections from Koothuparamba Assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021 as a BJP candidate. Sadanandan had initially been aligned with the SFI, the student wing of the CPM, before joining the RSS in 1984. He later held several key Sangh roles including Sarkaryavah of Kannur district, Baudhik Pramukh of Kozhikode and Thrissur Mahanagar, and Vibhag Baudhik Pramukh of Ernakulam. After the attack, he resumed teaching at Sri Durga Vilasam HSS in Peramangalam, Thrissur, and retired in April 2020. He also served as state president of Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad, an RSS-affiliated teachers' organization. 'Epitome of courage': PM Narendra Modi praises Sadanandan Reacting to the Rajya Sabha nomination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Sadanandan, calling his life 'the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice.' In a post on X, Modi added, 'Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are commendable.' Sadanandan, in his response, expressed happiness and said the nomination was a step towards strengthening BJP's efforts in Kerala. He refrained from framing the decision as retaliation against political violence, instead calling for peace. 'Let us view those days as a nightmare and forget it. Several party workers like me were maimed and many mothers and widows lost their dear ones. We worked hard to end the culture of 'eye for an eye'. There is now peace in Kannur, and I want it to continue,' he said. His nomination is seen as a symbolic recognition of political violence survivors and an attempt to bring the issue of Kannur's decades-long political bloodshed to the national stage, while also energizing the BJP cadre in Kerala.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
1994 Kannur violence victim nominated to Rajya Sabha
Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and retired school teacher C Sadanandan Master, who lost both his legs in Kannur district in 1994 as part of political violence, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President of India Droupadi Murmu. Prime minister Narendra Modi with C Sadanandan Master at an election rally in 2016 (HT archive) Sadanandan, along with lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and historian Meenakshi Jain, were chosen to fill the vacancies caused by the retirement of nominated members in the Upper House. The nominated members are selected for their contributions in the fields of literature, science, art and social service. Following the gazette notification's release, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on social platform X, congratulated Sadanandan and termed his life 'an epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice'. 'Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth empowerment. Congratulations to him for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rashtrapati Ji. Best wishes for his role as MP,' Modi said. The 61-year-old BJP leader, who is from Mattannur in the heart of Communist politics in Kannur district, was appointed as one of 10 vice-presidents in the state BJP unit in a reshuffle last week. He retired as a social science teacher from a high school in Peramangalam in Thrissur district and served as the vice-president of the National Teachers Union in the state. Since his student years up till the first year of undergraduate degree, Sadanandan said, he was aligned with the SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M). His family members including his father and older brother were also Left sympathisers. But following his college years, he was attracted by the ideals of the RSS, ideological fount of the BJP, and played a role in the growth of the Hindutva outfit in his native village of Perinchery near Mattannur. Within the RSS, he led active roles as Bouddhik Pramukh and later as Sahkaryavah in his home district of Kannur. It was during his time in the RSS, precisely on January 25, 1994, that Sadanandan was attacked by CPI(M)-affiliated activists in his village just days ahead of his marriage. It was reported at the time that the assailants threw bombs in the area to scare locals off and proceeded to drag Sadanandan out of the car in which he was travelling. He was pinned to the ground and both his legs severed at the knee. The severed legs were thrown away by the attackers before they fled the spot. He was rushed to the local hospital by the police. Since then, Sadanandan has been using prosthetic legs. The attack on Sadanandan was followed the next day by the retaliatory murder of SFI leader KV Sudheesh in front of his elderly parents by RSS-affiliated activists. Over 35 injuries were reported on Sudheesh's body during autopsy. The twin attacks and subsequent violence marked the tense atmosphere that prevailed in Kannur district for the years to come. Sadanandan, who switched to teaching and interventions in the education sector following the attack in 1994, came back to active politics in 2016 and was nominated by the BJP as its candidate from Koothuparambu Assembly constituency. Though he ended up third behind LDF and UDF nominees, he was able to increase the BJP vote-share by over 7%. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he fought from Koothuparambu again on the BJP ticket and ended up third. On Sunday, the BJP veteran said he received a call directly from the PM informing him of the responsibility. 'The PM told me that I would be shortly given a responsibility and that I should take it up. He didn't specify what it was. Today, I got a call from the state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar informing me that I have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha,' he told reporters. 'Today, thankfully there is peace in Kannur and I am among those who want the peace to prevail. I see the 1994 attack on me as a 'bad dream' which I want to forget. I see my nomination as the party's commitment to Kerala and its people,' he said. With local body elections this year and assembly polls scheduled next year in Kerala, the BJP will likely use Sadanandan Master to target the alleged violent politics of the CPI(M).
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sadanandan, who lost legs in violence, nominated to RS
1 2 3 4 5 Kozhikode: President Droupadi Murmu nominated Kerala BJP state vice-president and a victim of political violence in Kannur, C Sadanandan, to Rajya Sabha on Sunday. Sadanandan, 61, a retired teacher from Parinchery in Kannur, had lost his legs at the age of 30 in an attack by CPM cadres in 1994 when he was RSS Kannur sarkaryavahak. Sadanandan continued to be active in RSS and BJP, walking using prosthetic legs. He contested as a BJP candidate from Koothuparamba assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021. In his congratulatory message shared on X, PM Narendra Modi said Sadanandan's life was the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. "Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable," he said. Sadanandan expressed happiness over the nomination and said that Modi gave a hint in a telephonic conversation on Friday. "It's a decision which would provide strength to Kerala and party activities in the state," he said, adding that he viewed the decision as part of the party's efforts for realization of the concept of 'Vikasitha Keralam' the party has put forward before the people of Kerala rather than a message against political violence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Greenwich: If You Were Born Between 1940-1975 You Could Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo "Let us view those days as a nightmare and forget it. There are several party workers like me who were maimed and had to live the rest of their lives bearing the sufferings. Also, there are many mothers and widows who have lost dear ones. Such an atmosphere remained in Kannur for decades. But we worked hard to end the culture of 'eye for an eye' and it was a tolerance of sorts. As a result of that, there is now peace in Kannur and I want it to continue forever. So, I don't want it to be affected even with a word," he told reporters. The assault on Sadanandan, who came from a Communist family and was initially aligned with SFI before joining RSS in the 1980s, was allegedly to send across a warning to those who change sides and for setting up an RSS shakha at his village near Mattannur. On the night of Jan 25, 1994 when Sadanandan alighted from a bus at his village Uravachal, the assaulters grabbed him from behind, pinned him down and hacked off both his legs were and discarded them nearby. Sadanandan lay bleeding there for 15 minutes before police arrived. Though his severed legs were collected and rushed to the hospital, reattachment surgery was not available. Though he lost both his legs, his life could be saved. At the time of the brutal attack, Sadanandan was working at Kuzhikkal LP School in Kannur. Within hours, SFI activist K V Sudheesh was killed by RSS assailants in retaliation near Koothuparamba. Sadanandan later resumed his teaching career at Sri Durga Vilasam HSS at Peramangalam in Thrissur, retiring in April 2020. He also served as state president of Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad. He had formally joined the RSS in 1984 and went on to serve in key roles including Sarkaryavah of Kannur district, Baudhik Pramukh of Kozhikode and Thrissur Mahanagar and later Vibhag Baudhik Pramukh of Ernakulam. Sadanandan is married to Vanitha Rani, a retired teacher. Yamunabharathi S is their daughter. By honouring Sadanandan's sacrifice, BJP brass aims to reinvigorate the cadre base in the state. Also, the decision is expected to bring the issue of political violence — which has left scores of people in Kannur either dead or maimed — to the national stage. His presence in Rajya Sabha is expected to provide a counter-narrative to allegations of political intolerance and erosion of democratic rights.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sadanandan, who lost both legs in political violence, nominated to Rajya Sabha
1 2 3 Kozhikode: President Droupadi Murmu nominated Kerala BJP state vice-president and a victim of political violence in Kannur, C Sadanandan, to Rajya Sabha on Sunday. Sadanandan, 61, a retired teacher from Parinchery in Kannur, had lost his legs at the age of 30 in an attack by CPM cadres in 1994 when he was RSS Kannur sarkaryavahak. Sadanandan continued to be active in RSS and BJP, walking using prosthetic legs. He contested as a BJP candidate from Koothuparamba assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021. In his congratulatory message shared on X, PM Narendra Modi said Sadanandan's life was the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. "Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable," he said. Sadanandan expressed happiness over the nomination and said that Modi gave a hint in a telephonic conversation on Friday. "It's a decision which would provide strength to Kerala and party activities in the state," he said, adding that he viewed the decision as part of the party's efforts for realization of the concept of 'Vikasitha Keralam' the party has put forward before the people of Kerala rather than a message against political violence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo "Let us view those days as a nightmare and forget it. There are several party workers like me who were maimed and had to live the rest of their lives bearing the sufferings. Also, there are many mothers and widows who have lost dear ones. Such an atmosphere remained in Kannur for decades. But we worked hard to end the culture of 'eye for an eye' and it was a tolerance of sorts. As a result of that, there is now peace in Kannur and I want it to continue forever. So, I don't want it to be affected even with a word," he told reporters. The assault on Sadanandan, who came from a Communist family and was initially aligned with SFI before joining RSS in the 1980s, was allegedly to send across a warning to those who change sides and for setting up an RSS shakha at his village near Mattannur. On the night of Jan 25, 1994 when Sadanandan alighted from a bus at his village Uravachal, the assaulters grabbed him from behind, pinned him down and hacked off both his legs were and discarded them nearby. Sadanandan lay bleeding there for 15 minutes before police arrived. Though his severed legs were collected and rushed to the hospital, reattachment surgery was not available. Though he lost both his legs, his life could be saved. At the time of the brutal attack, Sadanandan was working at Kuzhikkal LP School in Kannur. Within hours, SFI activist K V Sudheesh was killed by RSS assailants in retaliation near Koothuparamba. Sadanandan later resumed his teaching career at Sri Durga Vilasam HSS at Peramangalam in Thrissur, retiring in April 2020. He also served as state president of Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad. He had formally joined the RSS in 1984 and went on to serve in key roles including Sarkaryavah of Kannur district, Baudhik Pramukh of Kozhikode and Thrissur Mahanagar and later Vibhag Baudhik Pramukh of Ernakulam. Sadanandan is married to Vanitha Rani, a retired teacher. Yamunabharathi S is their daughter. By honouring Sadanandan's sacrifice, BJP brass aims to reinvigorate the cadre base in the state. Also, the decision is expected to bring the issue of political violence — which has left scores of people in Kannur either dead or maimed — to the national stage. His presence in Rajya Sabha is expected to provide a counter-narrative to allegations of political intolerance and erosion of democratic rights. Kozhikode: President Droupadi Murmu nominated Kerala BJP state vice-president and a victim of political violence in Kannur, C Sadanandan, to Rajya Sabha on Sunday. Sadanandan, 61, a retired teacher from Parinchery in Kannur, had lost his legs at the age of 30 in an attack by CPM cadres in 1994 when he was RSS Kannur sarkaryavahak. Sadanandan continued to be active in RSS and BJP, walking using prosthetic legs. He contested as a BJP candidate from Koothuparamba assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021. In his congratulatory message shared on X, PM Narendra Modi said Sadanandan's life was the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. "Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable," he said. Sadanandan expressed happiness over the nomination and said that Modi gave a hint in a telephonic conversation on Friday. "It's a decision which would provide strength to Kerala and party activities in the state," he said, adding that he viewed the decision as part of the party's efforts for realization of the concept of 'Vikasitha Keralam' the party has put forward before the people of Kerala rather than a message against political violence. "Let us view those days as a nightmare and forget it. There are several party workers like me who were maimed and had to live the rest of their lives bearing the sufferings. Also, there are many mothers and widows who have lost dear ones. Such an atmosphere remained in Kannur for decades. But we worked hard to end the culture of 'eye for an eye' and it was a tolerance of sorts. As a result of that, there is now peace in Kannur and I want it to continue forever. So, I don't want it to be affected even with a word," he told reporters. The assault on Sadanandan, who came from a Communist family and was initially aligned with SFI before joining RSS in the 1980s, was allegedly to send across a warning to those who change sides and for setting up an RSS shakha at his village near Mattannur. On the night of Jan 25, 1994 when Sadanandan alighted from a bus at his village Uravachal, the assaulters grabbed him from behind, pinned him down and hacked off both his legs were and discarded them nearby. Sadanandan lay bleeding there for 15 minutes before police arrived. Though his severed legs were collected and rushed to the hospital, reattachment surgery was not available. Though he lost both his legs, his life could be saved. At the time of the brutal attack, Sadanandan was working at Kuzhikkal LP School in Kannur. Within hours, SFI activist K V Sudheesh was killed by RSS assailants in retaliation near Koothuparamba. Sadanandan later resumed his teaching career at Sri Durga Vilasam HSS at Peramangalam in Thrissur, retiring in April 2020. He also served as state president of Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad. He had formally joined the RSS in 1984 and went on to serve in key roles including Sarkaryavah of Kannur district, Baudhik Pramukh of Kozhikode and Thrissur Mahanagar and later Vibhag Baudhik Pramukh of Ernakulam. Sadanandan is married to Vanitha Rani, a retired teacher. Yamunabharathi S is their daughter. By honouring Sadanandan's sacrifice, BJP brass aims to reinvigorate the cadre base in the state. Also, the decision is expected to bring the issue of political violence — which has left scores of people in Kannur either dead or maimed — to the national stage. His presence in Rajya Sabha is expected to provide a counter-narrative to allegations of political intolerance and erosion of democratic rights.
