Dr. K.B.Menon

Dr. K.B.Menon (1897-1967)


Konnanathu Balakrishna Menon popularly known as Dr. K.B .Menon is considered as a star that came down to earth. His main feature is his simplicity. Once there was a time, walks along the streets of Malabar with a khadi sack in hand and a khadi turban on head wearing only khadi dhothi and shirt. The common men in Malabar would not identify him as a scholar who gets PG and PhD from an American University. He became a true Gandhian through the clear observation on Gandhian way of life and followed such a simple life pattern up to the end of his small life.


Dr. Menon, has born in 1897 at the reputed Konnanath Family near Cheruthuruthy in Kerala. He got bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the Madras Christian College. Then joined as a teacher in the Nizam College at Hyderabad. From their, he got a scholarship for further study in America. As the response to this scholarship, he joined the Berkley University of California and studied there. He secured post graduation and PhD in Economics and Social Science from this American University. After the course he started his career as a professor in Harwad University. It was the time while Jayaprakash Narain has arrived for his further study in America. Both of them met and started a new relationship as two democrats with a left over view. After a short period, he resigned his job and came back to India with a decision to participate the freedom struggle in India. His first assignment was as the secretary of the Human Rights Organisation.And the chairman was Jawaharlal Nehru. He also assigned as the secretary of the Citizens’ forum of the princely states. He also takes charge as the editor of the magazine States People


When Quit India has declared, Mr.Menon was sent to Kerala to organize the agitation against the Britain. He was the main accused of the sensational Keezhariyoor Bomb Case.
For this agitation, he was sentenced for ten years of imprisonment. After independence he joined the Socialist Party and contested in Thrithala Assembly segment to the Madras Legislative Assembly (1952) and was elected. He sworn in as the leader of the Socialist Group in the Assembly. In 1957 he filed his nomination for the Loksabha from the Badagara Parliament Constituency and was elected to the Parliament. Again in 1965 he contested from Quilandi assembly and was elected.


Dr. Menon was a pure vegetarian who lived only with bread and fruits. After 60s he suffered with blindness. And in 1967 September6th he passed away. Then he was seventy years of age.

After all there is an assessment; like JP, Dr. Menon is also a Crusader with out reached a shore or a destination though he or his life is a lesson or a syllabus for the purity in politics. Each and every politician should follow this life of a political saint. But Dr. Menon is not in memory of the general public. He must be remembered and his way of life should guide all the politicians in India it will be the remedy of some crisis which India faces now.

A COMMUNIST TREACHERY.....1939

E.M.S - AS C.S.P.SECRETARY(1935-39)

(Read as the continuation of the previous story.................)
After the resignation of C.K.Govindan Nair, E.M.S.Nambootthirippadu has been selected or nominated as the general secretary of the state unit of the Congress Socialist Party(C.S.P). Right from the beginning of the Socialist movement, E.M.S. has been a follower f this. He has participated the formation meeting and was elected as the all India Joint Secretary in the 1935 National Conference. As an enthusiastic youth with wide reputation in Malabar, a British territory then, will have lead the party into a glorious future, it was the belief of the national leadership. True. It was correct. He lifted the party from the starting trouble and juvenile difficulties. But he usurped the strength of the Socialist group and used it to strengthen the Communist Party in Kerala. It was a notorious cheating as the Socialist Movement has ever seen.

When in the first days of his tenure as the state secretary, he acted as a good and committed Socialist. He lead the movement of peasants’ and laborers’ movement. A t that time a combined movement has started under the initiative of Jayaprakash Narayan, the stalwart of Indian Politics. It was the left unity movement which aimed at the unification of all left group into a single platform. For J.P it was an intimate mission and vision but for the communists, it was a strategy. They like to use the popularity of the Socialist leaders but never like to be the part of the Socialist movement. They started the use and through policy in the Indian politics. Even though, they have remained as a splinter group in the state unit of the Indian National Congress with an aim t o usurp the party in a favorable situation.


In September 1939, the Second World War has broker out. Even then the Socialists has opposed the British colonialism. They demanded the POORNA SWARAJ the complete independence. This move has provoked the British Government. They have arrested all the top Socialist leaders and sent them to prison. It was the time what the Communists have been waiting for. In December1939 E.M.S. and other communist followers in the Socialist party announced an executive meeting of the Malabar Congress Socialist Party at Pinarayi near Thalissery. In the meeting E.M.S and other leaders have forwarded a resolution to merge the Socialist Party into the Communist Party. Majority of the executive members have joined hands with the Communist Party except four. They are, K.O.K.Nambiar, Vadavathi Krishnan Nair, Pinarayi Krishnan Nair, and K.N.Chathukkuty.


It was the second attempt of the Socialist Party in Kerala. It was also a failure or a bit of cheat. Though the Socialists have been weakened, the Communists have become a powerful political group in Kerala. Now the Communists forgot one fact that it is, the ommunist Party is a booty which was captured from the SOCIALISTS.
- Prasanth Mithran

P.VISWAMBHARAN

P.Viswambharan

Life sketch

Born on: 25 June 1925 at Vellar near Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram Distrist.

Father: Padmanabhan

Mother: Chellamma

Education

School: Pachalloor L.P.School, Venganor English Middle School and Thiruvananthapuram S.M.V School

College:Nagarcoil Scot Christian College, Thiruvananthapuram Arts College and University College.

Degree in History and Economics.

Political activities

While, studying in Thiruvananthapuram, joined with the Quit India Movement. It was the beginning of his political career.

When the Students Congress was formed in 1940s, he has undertaken the task to organize its Thiruvthamcore unit.

In 1945, he was elected to the executive of the Travancore University Union.

In 1949, became a member of Indian Socialist Party.

In 1950, became a member of the Trivandrum District Committee of Indian Socialist Party.

In 1956, became the State Joint Secretary of Praja Socialist Party.

In 1964, became the State General Secretary of Praja Socialist Party.

In 1971, became the State Chairman of Socialist Party.

P. Viswambharan has elected as the first Convener of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) which was formed in 1973.

In the period of 1975-77 he has actively worked against the Emergency that declared by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

After 1977, he served the Janatha Party and Janatha dal party as it’s State President and National executive member.

As a Legislature

In 1954, he was elected to the Thiruvithamcore-Cochin Assembly from Nemom constituency in Thiruvananthapuram District.

Again in 1960, he was elected to the Kerala Assembly from Nemom constituency.

In1967 he was elected from the Thiruvananthapuram Parliament constituency to the Indian Parliament.

As a journalist

From 1946 to 1958 he worked as a journalist for the Malayalam dailies like Malayali, Mathrubhumi, Swathrathanthakahalam and  Desabandhu.

Trade Union Field

He organized and lead the Dakshina Thiruvithamkoor Karinkal Thozhilali Union, Dakshina Thiruvithamkoor Motor Thozhilali Union, Thiruvananthapuram Port Workers Union, Travancore Textile Workers Union, Kerala PWD work establishment Employees Union, Elsctricity board Ministerial Officers Union and so on.

Co-Operative Sector

Right from the beginning of the formation of the Coir Co-operative Movement in Thiru- Cochi State (in 1950) he associated it as an active leadr and organizer.

He was the president for over 45 years in the Thiruvallam Pachalloor Coir Vyavasaya Sahakarana Samkham.

Worked as the president of Alappuzha Central Marketing Coir Cooperative Society.

Worked as the vice president of Kerala Coir Marketing Federation for a long time.

Associated as the executive committee member of the National Federation of Industrial CO-operatives for twenty years.

QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT(1942)

QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT

As you know, the Quit India Movement was a final phase of agitation related to the Indian Freedom Movement. It was declared in1942 August 9.So this agitation is also known as The August Revolt. When this resolution had passed, all the Congress leaders were arrested and sentenced to jail. It was not a national phenomenon. But all the important state leaders were also arrested. So then the National movement has been lead to a leaderless situation. “Do or Die” it was the instruction towards the soldiers of this movement.
Quit India was the slogan which demand the British rule should be leave from India. It causes many damages to the Omnipotent British Raj. They were forced to think the Independence of India. It was an all India movement. But it has a remarkable contribution from Kerala itself. Even then a full Kerala concept was not emerged. It was divided into three provinces known as Thiruvithamcoore, Cochin and Malabar. Among these Malabar was a British province and the rest are the Princely States. The anti British agitations are not very strong in the Princely states. At the same time the British Indian territories are strongly participated in such agitations. Likewise Malabar was the main destination of the Quit India Movement in Kerala.

P.M. KUNJHIRAMAN NAMBIAR

P.M. KUNHIRAMAN NAMBIAR(1905-1998)
A fore runner of Kerala Socialist movement.

An honest man from the land of Theyyam, we can introduce P.M.Kunjhiraman Nambiar with this expression. The ancestors of P.M were the advisors or the care takers of the else while Chirakkal Swaroopam. With the support of this background he can easily organize the people of that region. He was the fore runner of the Congress Socialist Party when it goes through the crisis. He was the main leader of the party while its child hood. “P.M. and some children” it was the saying about the Congress Socialist Party then. Why it, then all the members of the party was too young and shri .P.M. was the only grown up.

P.M.Kunjhiraman Nambiar was born in 1905 July 7 at a reputed family in the Azhikode Amsam called Puthiya Mundayadu. Now this place is in Kannoor district in Kerala. He started his political career as a congress worker in Chirakkal Taluk. Hehad taken part in the Inspiring Salt Sathyagraha at Payyannoor with K.Kelappan In 1930. Then he was arrested and was sentenced for two and half years of imprisonment. He was sent to the Kannoor Central Jail. In 1938 and 1942 he was also sentenced to jail for some other agitation in connected to the Freedom Struggle. As a freedom fighter , he got seven years of imprisonment in different period of time.

He was the founder president of the Malabar Aided Teachers’ Union. After the Quit India movement, the Congress Socialist Party was organized under his strong leadership. In 1957 and 1960 he was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Quilandi constituency as a Praja Socialist Party member. In 1962, when Pattom ThanuPillai has resigned from the post of the state chairman of the Praja Socialist Party, P.M has assumed charge as his successor. In 1968 he drop active politics and leaved as a cultural activist with some social and cultural activities in Kannoor. After completing 93 years of life he passed away in 1998November25.

Even after his demise, he is remembered as one of the greater fighters of Freedom Movement and the hero of the Socialist Movement.

C.S.P After the 2nd World war

C.S.P After the 2nd World war


Even after the communist encroachment some Socialists have remained as the Socialists. But they were in prison. The Socialist Party has taken a strong decision against the IMPERTALIST WAR . So the British government has arrested the Socialists and sentenced them for treason. Then in 1942, the Quit India movement was declared and the Socialists have taken part with this movement with the strong nationalist feeling. This intimacy is also caused the Socialists imprisonment to be continued. They had been in prison up to the end of 1944. So in respect of the Congress Socialist Party the years from 1939 to 1944 was an age of vacuum or an age of hollow. But after the 2nd World War the party has been resurrected like a phoenix.


The 2nd World War has over with thunderous shake to the imperialist forces. The colonial rule of Great Britain has faced so many setbacks at that juncture. The entire scenario has changed against the Britain. At that situation all the political prisoners have been released and the interim government has come into power under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru(1946). Then in Kerala the youth leaders who have a intimate faith in Socialism have started to re organize the Socialist party as a youth gathering.


The young Socialist followers organized some youth movements known as YOUVAK SAMKHAMGAL in Malabar under the leadership of K.Kunjirama Kurup.It was called as Kunnummakkara Youvak Sankh at first and later turned to Kurumbranadu Youvak Sankh. As a follow up of this regional youth groups an Akhila Malabar Yuvajana sankh has been organized under the leadership of the great P.M.Kunjhiraman Nambiar. These youth movements have given an inspiration for the Socialist believers. They have formed ad hoc committees for so many villages in Malabar and decided to form a state level ad hoc committee. They have organized a meeting and nominated a committee under the convener ship of P.M.Kunjhiraman Nambiar.The other members of this committee were Dr. K.B.Menon, Karunakara Menon, N.Sreekantan Nair, and R.M.Manakklath. The members of this committee have a full representation of the three part of Kerala such as Malabar, Cochin and Travancore.


This was the third attempt of the organization of the Socialist Party in Kerala. With the comparison of the two previous attempts it was a humble beginning. Even though, the Socialist group has showed its strength. In the later period of the Kerala history, the Socialist Party has secured a glorious role for its political viability and morality.


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SOCIALIST PARTY IN KERALA-FIRST ATTEMPT

The socialist movement in kerala is as the follow up of the social reform movement in Kerala. Sri Narayana Guru, Ayyankali,and other social reformists have paved the way for the uplift of the downtrodden people of Kerala.With this background the socialist movement has a green signal for its sprouting.

Apart from the reformist acharyas there are some other group of people have contributed for the social reforms. Among them the teachers of the Malabar aided school is prominent. They have educated the common people about their rights, and their equality in the society. It was the basement of the Socialist Party in Kerala.
SOCIALIST PARTY IN KERALA -ESTABLISHMENT
Up to the state re organization Kerala was divided into three parts such as Travancore ,Cochin and Malabar.Travancore and Cochin were Princely states and Malabar was under the direct rule of the English. So the political movements are sprouts from their.As in the same way Socialist movement is also started from their.

The Indian socialist for fathers started the socialist party under the Indian National Congress known as the CONGRESS SOCIALIST PARTY, was on MAY 1934.As in the follow up of this national movement, in Kerala organized an organizing meting in the same year same month..K.Kelappan , the known Gandhian leader was in chair. In this meeting the Kerala unit of the socialist party has been established with C.K.Govindan Nair as secretary. But in October 1934,C.K.Govindan Nair has resigned from the secretary post after some mutual disappoints between the Gandhians and the socialists in the state congress unit. It was the first phase of the Socialist Movement in Kerala