EMS : An Icon for Millions
EMS is one of the foremost leaders of modern Kerala based on Renaissance concepts and He was the genius who laid the foundation for the idea of a socially and politically enlightened Kerala , A leader of the people who inspired generations in thought, word and deed. A communist who led the common people to the struggle for their rights with a focus on modern education and a sense of democracy , An activist who has given direction to the progressive thoughts of Keralites who are constantly renewing themselves with innovative ideas and standard of living. The name of EMS can never be removed from the mind of a Malayalee - EMS was loved, respected, adored. To the ordinary people of Kerala, a mere sight of their dear leader was a life’s desire accomplished. He was an affectionate comrade, caring and enquiring about the well-being of his comrades; he was a leader par excellence who combined theoretical understanding with practical work; he deeply felt for the poor and underprivileged, who in turn cared deeply for him; , was a colleague who respected the views of others even if he had reservations and differences; was one who lent an ear to anyone who approached him. These are the qualities that set Comrade EMS apart from the broad spectrum of political leadership in the country. Undoubtedly He was one of the tallest personalities the 20th century has produced.
We renew the memory of EMS at a time when democracy and civil liberties are being denied and people have to fight in the streets for civil liberties. he left us in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections by the Vajpayee-led BJP government at the Center. On the last day, EMS wrote an article to Deshabhimani on how the BJP rule at the Center and Hindutva politics would bring the country to its brink of disaster, Now, from the very beginning of the second Modi government, the RSS agenda of racially dividing the people of the country and building a religious state has come to light, which should be read in conjunction with the EMS 'view .
The Communists and the progressive forces under the leadership of EMS made great contributions to the country to take the renaissance to higher levels without destroying the values of the renaissance movement led by Sree Narayana Guru, Chattambiswamy, Ayyankali, Vakkom Moulavi, Chavara Achen and Poykayil Kumara Guru. It is through this that Keralites still stand tall as a self-respecting community. His brilliant leadership was able to liberate the State from superstitions and to undermine the caste-landlord-colonial system. He began his public life time when the atrocities of British colonialism and feudalism were rampant , Although he was born with the rights of the upper caste and the feudal lords, he fought against the flagrant exploitation of the race in which he was born and sacrificed himself for the common good. The Namboothiri houses of that time were centers of wealth and glory. None of that appealed to him - the EMS's ingenuity and political involvement played a unique role in bringing the unjust and vulgar society into the light of modern democracy.
EMS was arrested in 1932 for participating in the Kozhikode Salt Satyagraha after completing his college education and was received by P Krishnapillai at the Kozhikode Sub Jail. That meeting was the beginning of an extraordinary relationship that lasted until death , He was shifted from Kozhikode Sub Jail to Kannur Central Jail and from there to Vellore Jail. He met AKG at Kannur Central Jail. He became the leader of the national movement and was elected one of the secretaries of the KPCC. He became one of the national leaders of the Congress Socialist Party - EMS was a member of the first Communist group in Kerala formed in 1937 also For a long time he was the General Secretary of the Undivided Communist Party and later of the CPI (M) , The October Socialist Revolution was a big inspiration. Comrade EMS’ everlasting thirst for knowledge led him to study the theory of scientific socialism. In 1938, he along with P. Krishan Pillai, A.K. Gopalan and others formed the illegal Communist Party in Kerala. EMS was also one of founders of the All India Kisan Sabha in 1936.
The contribution of EMS in linking Marxism to practice is incomparable. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist Sections in Eastern Europe, the propaganda against socialism and communism took a storm. Trapped in the propaganda of the enemy, many communist parties around the world abandoned their names and flags. At that time, Even Malayala Manorama wrote an article advising to disband the CPI (M). EMS made it clear However, socialism in countries, including the Soviet Union, suffered a setback in practice and it should not be seen as a failure of socialism and communism. Underlining the relevance of socialism and communism, the EMS made a significant contribution to the ideological position then formed by the CPI (M) .
EMS 'expertise in assessing national and international issues is extraordinary , During the India-China war in 1962, braving the chauvinist onslaught, EMS campaigned throughout the country advocating a peaceful settlement of the border dispute. Similarly, during the India-Pakistan war, he advocated a peaceful settlement of the dispute. As a true Communist, he always thought the Indian Communist movement to be a part and parcel of the world revolutionary process. In all solidarity campaigns in support of the national liberation movements, in defence of peace and socialism, he was always in the forefront. He left an imprint on leaders of Communist parties the world over.
When he was elected to the Madras Provincial Legislature Assembly in 1939, he marked himself out as a legislature of a new genre. He was a revolutionary parliamentarian who linked up the issues and demands of the people, particularly the peasantry, with the freedom struggle.
EMS, the first Chief Minister of United Kerala, led two Ministries formed under the leadership of the Communist Party if which came to power in a state through the ballot paper , No previous experience of how the Communist Party should function in power but he has shown extraordinary skill in leading the state government out of this predicament. As soon as he came to power as the Chief Minister, he signed a document ending the process of evicting the children of the soil from the land also The EMS Government has been able to end feudalism in Kerala and implement comprehensive land reform measures. The highest and most humane act of the EMS government is to give a piece of land of its own to the children of the soil who have worked in the soil all their lives and are in a pitiable condition of not even owning six acres of land. Several reforms were implemented, including the land reform, the Education Bill, the intervention for decentralization, and the removal of restrictions on minorities. He thought also guided subsequent governments led by the Communist Party. Comrade's intervention was very helpful in realizing the ideas including mass planning , He was one of the chief organizers of the International Kerala Studies Congress, which shaped the future development prospects of Kerala. He was instrumental in turning art and literature into a source of energy for the liberation struggle of the working class.
Comrade EMS was at the helm of the revolutionary reforms that took place in all spheres such as education, health, agriculture and industry. While he was the architect of the world-renowned Kerala model, he did not hesitate to criticize it positively.
In the first Congress of the Communist Party of India held in 1943, EMS was elected to the Central Committee of the party. From then, the cause of the party remained foremost in his mind. He gave all he had for the cause of the party. As I noted earlier, EMS belonged to a wealthy landlord family. He had inherited a substantial part from the ancestral property. He donated the entire proceeds of the sale of this property, Rs. 1.8 lakh, an astronomical sum at that time, to the party funds - EMS was one of the pioneers of the communist movement in India , At the same time conceptually and practically, EMS excelled not only in politics but also in communism. He was a prolific writer who wielded a lucid pen. His language was straight and simple. He spoke from the heart. An orator par excellence, EMS had his audience mesmerised. People turned out in large numbers for his meetings, wherever they were held or at whatever time, and heard him with rapt attention. His audience did not consist of party comrades alone. His political opponents, despite their disagreements, would come to hear EMS speak. That was the level of respectability and acceptability he commanded throughout the country , He presented clear observations on the Malayalam language - Made the sense of identity of the Malayalee , The quarrels in the literary project were settled. There is no other politician who has made so many interventions in defining the Malayalam consciousness that was formed after independence.
Kerala saw Nayanar bursting into tears for the first time ie on March 19, 1998. - When EMS found out he was no longer alive; Nayanar, the then Chief Minister, lost control at the Cosmopolitan Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The Modi regime of the RSS-led BJP has had an unprecedented impact on federalism, democracy and secularism , Workers are being denied jobs and laws are being changed in favor of the capitalists. The Center is trying to create various obstacles for the LDF-led government in Kerala by violating federal principles - this time the Kerala community observe EMS Day at a crucial historical juncture. As the Sangh Parivar unleashes the destructiveness of communalism in the country by undermining secular democratic values, it is time for Kerala to build forts of resistance and try to stop it. For the need for ideological direction and extraordinary willpower. This day, filled with intense memories of Comrade, fills us with the energy of that struggle.
EMS was more than an inspiration. His life and work are a guide for future generations because No other political figure who has influenced the history of Kerala as much as Comrade, social reformer, revolutionary and thinker. He still stands as the undiminished beacon of the Left movement in Kerala also there is still a long way to go before that dawn of progress and peace , Let us walk into that dawn holding the hand of knowledge and experience given by Comrade EMS.
Lal Salaam !
