Kerala - Kollam   

Apathy of youth affecting party: Antony

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, FEB. 8. The former Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, said here today that more than groupism, the apathy of the youth towards the Congress was the real crisis the party was facing in Kerala.

Inaugurating a function organised by the Thoppil Ravi Foundation to commemorate the 15th death anniversary of the Congress leader Thoppil Ravi, Mr. Antony said it was only wishful thinking on the part of party leaders and cadres in the State that the crisis in the Congress would end if groupism ended.

Strategy needed

He said that until the party charted out a strategy to attract the youth into its fold, the crisis faced by the Congress in the State would only deepen. He said that the party had faced a similar crisis 40 years ago. The prophylactic at that time was the party's ability to attract a line of dedicated youth and it was these youngsters who rejuvenated the party.

Mr. Antony said he was fortunate enough to be one of them. He recalled the bonhomie between the young party workers of those days and the challenges they had to face. He stated that only by strengthening the Youth Congress and the KSU could the party recover its lost glory.

Role of youth

He said it was impossible for him and his contemporaries to again don the role they had taken up four decades ago. "If A.K. Antony, Vayalar Ravi and P.C. Chacko are again called to strengthen the Youth Congress and the KSU, it would look quite odd."

He said that more youth should join the party. The youth and student wings of the party should be made to enjoy the carte blanche these organisations once enjoyed.

Later, answering questions, Mr. Antony said he was not aware whether the KPCC had sent a complaint to the party high command seeking disciplinary action against the senior party leader K. Karunakaran for making an adverse comment against his (Antony's) and Mr. Oommen Chandy's governments during an interaction with students.

Award

The Union Minister for Power, P.M. Sayeed, gave away this year's Thoppil Ravi Literary Award to the novelist K.A. Sebastian for his novel `Rajakanmarude pusthakam.' The award carries a purse of Rs.10,001, a citation and a trophy.

In his address, Mr. Sayeed echoed Mr. Antony's concern for the party. He said there was a need for the party to organise a strong youth cadre. He said that the life of the late Thoppil Ravi could be taken up as a model by the youth in the party. Party leader P.C. Chacko, the Kollam DCC president, Sooranad Rajashekaran, and K.A. Sebastian addressed the gathering.

The chairman of the Thoppil Ravi Foundation, Vayalar Ravi, MP, presided over the function. Foundation vice-president, A. Shahnavas Khan, welcomed the gathering.

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