T.P. - The two letters that shook Kerala

T.P. & Family !

For unbiased news many people in Kerala turn to National English channels  but being a ‘socially aware’ keralite ‘animal’  living in Kerala I should watch Malayalam news channels but the issues they cover normally are so dull - domestic political quarrels and rivalries - so mundane,  that I completely neglect it – well till recently.

On May 4^th things changed. A CPM ( Communist Party of Marxist) rebel named T.P.Chandrasekharan got killed. On that day I was glued to Malayalam Channels for want of news which no other national channels gave. For the national channels it was a small incident. But for the Keralites it was not. It has far reaching implications perhaps culminating in the vertical split of a strongest political party in Kerala.

The killing was not a normal killing. The brutal hatred was evident - 51 cuts on his face  as if to deface him so that even in his death he should not be identified.
Remember Che guvera – surprisingly many leftist youngsters sportingly wear T-shirt with his picture.. .what a surprise ! the Marxists in Kerala wanted the same fate to T.P. himself a Marxist !  

What was his sin for such a brutal end ? What did he do to annoy such a big party ? The reasons are revealed now.

Comrade T.P. Chandrasekharan was small time party worker who had influence only in a small locality. But he challenged the diktats of Party bosses. He floated his own party. He supported  V.S. Achuthanandan a CPM stalwart and the  leader of opposition in Kerala Assembly. That was an outside support for a person inside the party. The person inside is capable of splitting the party. There lies the importance of eliminating an outside support. T.P.has been swearing on communist values and using the same flag which attracted many ordinary folks.

Official party boss Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan openly talked about T.P. as a traitor.

CPM had always supported violence although officially they will not agree to it. They will say that it is not the party line. Some time back the brutal killing of a BJP activist, Mr. JayaKrishnan, a school teacher in front of students had shaken the minds of Keralites but not to this extent. The culprits were caught but like in many other political murders in the state they were let off. CPM was the ruling then and its police did not find enough evidence. No strong witnesses either. Often under threat witnesses change their affidavits. So the criminals walk free. They taunt and roam around with impunity. So when killing becomes a small stroke of music which can be accomplished easily perhaps the decision to eliminate is taken more casually. In the killing JK when the criminals were let off the then State Home Minister, Marxist leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, himself came down to welcome them. They were given a rousing reception in the same town where the killing took place ! What a brazen support to violence – That too from a Home Minister !

We now understand that T P was a people’s man.  He wielded enormous influence in his locality. He was brave and with clear vision. He wanted to steer the party from bad doings. With enormous wealth at its disposal party had become more than of bourgeois party. With its own media, newspaper and  TV channels and several business houses and  co-operative ventures – ( aka  ‘peoples’ ) it bought off every one on the way. Even its central leadership is powerless and depends upon the state arm for financial support. So they wont take any stern action against the state unit. The party almost died in West Bengal – a natural aging process. So the source of income is from the Kerala state. If the party is split what happens to the enormous wealth?  It is unthinkable. What will happen to Trade Unions it nurtured and the money it brings? The top official leadership shudders to think. So they accuse the media that it is masterminding a plot  to destroy the party.

The enquiry is still on .. a verdict is not immediately expected..

We have to wait and see..